Sussex police constable dismissed and former PC would have been sacked said disciplinary panel

A disciplinary panel dismissed a Sussex Police constable without notice and ruled another former officer would have been sacked, if still serving, over their actions following the wrongful detention and search of a man found with cannabis.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

It followed an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Action against the man was dropped when the allegations against PC Hayley Noyes and former PC Alice Price came to light, an IOPC statement said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Gross misconduct was found proven for both by the panel, led by a legally qualified chair, on Thursday, April 28, at the end of a four-day hearing organised by the force.

A serving police constable and a former police constable faced a discplinary panelA serving police constable and a former police constable faced a discplinary panel
A serving police constable and a former police constable faced a discplinary panel

The IOPC statement said the hearing was told former PC Price was in breach of duty restrictions when she initially detained and searched a motorist at Felpham, on December 31, 2019, and was then involved in his further detention after finding him in possession of cannabis and a penknife.

She also failed to make a statement recording her actions for that incident and another on January 12 when she further breached her restrictions while dealing with a suspected shoplifter, the statement said.

Serious conduct allegations against her were being investigated at the time and she was restricted from wearing a police uniform and engaging in policing activity that might require dealing with members of the public, making a witness statement or an arrest.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Evidence the IOPC gathered indicated during the stop search incident PC Price contacted PC Noyes, who drove to the scene and covered up her colleague’s actions after failing to challenge or report the breach of restrictions.

PC Noyes’ witness statement was found to contain details she knew to be false, the IOPC said.

PC Noyes also altered another officer’s account of the incident to minimise PC Price’s involvement, the statement said.

The other officer raised concerns about the circumstances of the arrest, which led to the IOPC investigating in February 2020 after a conduct referral from the force.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Former PC Price and PC Noyes were both found to have breached standards of professional behaviour for honesty and integrity, orders and instructions and discreditable conduct, the IOPC said.

PC Noyes was also found to have breached the standards for duties and responsibilities and reporting improper conduct.

IOPC regional director Graham Beesley said: “The fixed penalty notice issued to the man who was detained for drug possession was rescinded because of concerns over the officers’ actions.

“Behaviour of this kind, involving dishonesty, undermines the police service and has the capacity to impact negatively on public confidence in policing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The panel chair described what the officers did as deliberate and premeditated operational dishonesty, and the seriousness of the allegations proven is underlined by the sanctions.”

PC Hayes and ex-PC Price, who resigned in March this year, will also be added to the College of Policing barred list preventing future employment within the police service, the IOPC said.

The statement said: “During our ten-month investigation we reviewed body worn video footage, police radio transmissions and records of the incident. We interviewed the officers concerned and took statements from police witnesses.”