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An investigation has uncovered that police officers made “disturbing” remarks about a victim of an attack while viewing a body-worn video of her having a seizure with her private areas exposed.
The BBC investigation uncovered that three officers from Thames Valley Police were observed mocking a video of a 21-year-old woman having a seizure while restrained in a police van.
After being investigated by the professional standards department, there has been no public evidence of the officers facing misconduct hearings. The student officer who raised the issue claims to have been ostracized by colleagues.
The occurrence occurred when the individual was detained, restrained, and transported in a police vehicle in Newbury, Berkshire. This was done by officers who suspected the individual had perpetrated an assault, despite having been assaulted themselves.
Afterwards, she was captured on a body-worn camera throwing up and passing out. She experienced a seizure while in the police van, causing her groin and chest to be exposed.
The following day, a woman officer at Newbury Police Station reviewed the CCTV footage and body camera recordings of the victim’s time in the police van while seated at her desk.
A student officer reported that while watching the footage, three male colleagues made inappropriate comments about the victim’s body, which she found disturbing.
An officer requested to inspect the woman’s groin while another made offensive remarks about her breasts. Another talked about the compensation they would require to have sexual relations with her.
According to a statement from a witness that was viewed by the BBC, the student officer stated that the other officers made comments using the woman’s name and were fully aware of her identity.
The victim expressed feeling betrayed to the BBC and stated that the police are meant to be the ones to seek assistance from in times of need.
Following the student officer’s report of the officers’ behavior, they were ostracized by their colleagues and pressured to resign. The student officer alleged that a sergeant even showed them job postings for non-policing positions.
In August, he was informed that he was not physically or mentally suitable to serve as a police constable and was subsequently terminated.
The BBC was informed by Thames Valley Police that the statements captured in the recording were deemed “unacceptable.” The police force expressed gratitude for the student officer’s decision to report what he witnessed, and assured that his disclosure was taken seriously. However, the decision to end his employment was considered a separate issue.
The student officer was reassigned to a different location and provided with a new mentor, while also receiving assistance in addressing their complaint.
The article also stated that the officers involved were subject to disciplinary hearings, but these were not open to the public.
Former Crown Prosecution Service chief prosecutor Nazir Afzal described the case as a “horror story of misogyny and sexism” that has caused significant harm to public trust.
He stated that there were “systemic issues” in the monitoring of police body camera footage, and the Newbury incident is cause for concern.
In 2023, a prior BBC inquiry found over 150 instances of body-worn cameras being misused.
The media company discovered multiple grave accusations, including instances in seven law enforcement agencies where officers shared video recordings with acquaintances or coworkers, either in person or through social media platforms.
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