Key Takeaways:
- PC Pamela Pritchard, a 29-year-old police officer, has been sacked after groping two colleagues at a drunken party.
- The incident occurred at a leaving do at Caernarfon Rugby Club in March 2024, where PC Pritchard thrust her hand into a male colleague’s groin twice and later sat on his knee and kissed him.
- She also grabbed a female colleague’s breasts after "twerking" on the dance floor and tried to kiss a senior colleague.
- The panel at a misconduct hearing found all the allegations against her were proven and that she had breached the force’s standards of behaviour.
- PC Pritchard admitted her behaviour was inappropriate but denied it was gross misconduct, and has been dismissed from North Wales Police.
Introduction to the Incident
The incident in question occurred at a leaving party for a colleague at Caernarfon Rugby Club in March 2024. PC Pamela Pritchard, a 29-year-old police officer with North Wales Police, attended the party and engaged in behaviour that was deemed unacceptable by her colleagues and superiors. The party was attended by a large number of police officers, including PC Pritchard and several of her colleagues. It was during this party that PC Pritchard’s behaviour became increasingly inappropriate, leading to her eventual dismissal from the force.
The Allegations Against PC Pritchard
The allegations against PC Pritchard were numerous and serious. She was accused of thrusting her hand into a male colleague’s groin twice, once at the bar and again in the smoking area. She also sat on the same colleague’s knee and kissed him, which was deemed unacceptable behaviour. Additionally, PC Pritchard grabbed a female colleague’s breasts after "twerking" on the dance floor, and tried to kiss a senior colleague. These allegations were all proven at a misconduct hearing, and PC Pritchard was found to have breached the force’s standards of behaviour.
PC Pritchard’s Response to the Allegations
PC Pritchard admitted that her behaviour was inappropriate, but denied that it constituted gross misconduct. She claimed to have been mortified by her actions, and stated that she did not recognize the person she saw on the CCTV footage. She also apologized to her colleagues for her behaviour, and expressed regret for letting down the police force, herself, and her family. However, despite her apologies, the panel at the misconduct hearing found that her behaviour was serious enough to warrant dismissal.
The Misconduct Hearing
The misconduct hearing was a four-day proceeding that heard evidence from several of PC Pritchard’s colleagues, including the male officer she groped and the female officer whose breasts she grabbed. The hearing also viewed CCTV footage of the incident, which showed PC Pritchard "twerking" on the dance floor and engaging in other inappropriate behaviour. The panel at the hearing found that all the allegations against PC Pritchard were proven, and that she had breached the force’s standards of behaviour. The panel chair, Assistant Chief Constable Chris Allsop, stated that the breaches of standards were of medium to high seriousness, and could justify dismissal as gross misconduct.
The Outcome of the Hearing
The outcome of the hearing was that PC Pritchard was dismissed from North Wales Police. The panel found that her behaviour was serious enough to warrant dismissal, and that she was no longer fit to serve as a police officer. PC Pritchard’s barrister, Fiona Clancy, had argued that she should be allowed to keep her job, citing her previous good behaviour and her motivation to continue serving the community. However, the panel ultimately decided that her behaviour was too serious to be overlooked, and that dismissal was the appropriate sanction.
Conclusion and Reaction
The dismissal of PC Pritchard has been welcomed by North Wales Police’s Deputy Chief Constable, Nigel Harrison, who stated that her behaviour "fell far below the standard we expect of our police officers". He also noted that there is no issue with officers relaxing and enjoying themselves when off duty, but that PC Pritchard’s behaviour was simply not acceptable by anyone’s standards. The incident serves as a reminder of the high standards of behaviour expected of police officers, both on and off duty, and the serious consequences that can result from breaching those standards.
