Met police officer sacked for punching handcuffed black child
16 July 2022, 10:39 | Updated: 16 July 2022, 10:42
A Met police officer has been sacked for punching a handcuffed black child.
PC Steven Martin also verbally abused the 15-year-old child who was not resisting, while he tried to arrest him in February 2021.
The boy was arrested after officers responded to reports of an attempted robbery in Waltham Forest last year. He was charged with an offence but the case against him was later dropped by the CPS.
An Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation found Martin use ‘unnecessary and unreasonable force’ when he punched the boy while he was on the floor and in handcuffs.
Martin failed to mention the punch in his initial account of the incident and then claimed the use of violence was an accident.
He pleaded guilty to common assault in January 2022 and was sentenced to a curfew order for 14 weeks and ordered to pay costs.
Detective Superintendent Thomas Williams, from the Specialist Firearms Command, said: “PC Martin has admitted in court that his actions amounted to assault – while the use of force is an unavoidable aspect of frontline policing it must be appropriate and proportionate, and officers are rightly scrutinized for their actions.
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“Misconduct proceedings have now concluded and deemed PC Martin’s actions require his dismissal from the force. I hope this demonstrates to Londoners that such behaviour is not acceptable from our officers and will be dealt with through the appropriate channels.”
Martin has been barred from working for police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.
