(Image: Gwent Police)
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A police constable has been dismissed without notice following a gross misconduct finding after footage emerged of him showing his identification to a man who appeared to be under the influence of drugs during an off-duty night out.
PC Nicholas Francis faced an accelerated misconduct hearing after a video from September 22 last year showed him socialising while off duty and out of uniform with an individual – referred to as Person A – who appeared intoxicated or under the influence, with a white substance described as “likely” drugs visible around his nose.
The footage
In the recording, Person A can be heard urging PC Francis to produce his police identification, saying: “Get your badge out by here.”
PC Francis initially refused, replying: “I’m not getting my badge out butt.” Person A then said: “Come on I’m sending it to my brother.”
Despite his earlier refusal, PC Francis then retrieved a Gwent Police wallet and displayed his warrant card – bearing his name and collar number – to the camera.
Person A responded by saying “Copper,” which PC Francis repeated back. Person A then added: “It’s f***ing absolute madness, I’m f***ing getting on it with a copper.”
The video was later passed to Gwent Police’s Counter Corruption Unit.
What the hearing was told
PC Francis was described as appearing “highly intoxicated” in the footage, though he maintained this was the result of alcohol alone. He told the hearing he had been so drunk he could not remember the video being recorded, and denied knowing Person A was using drugs.
However, Assistant Chief Constable Nicolas McLain, who chaired the panel, said the proximity between the two men and “the overt nature of the male’s substance use” meant the officer would likely have been aware.
The hearing was told PC Francis admitted misconduct at an early stage, expressed “genuine remorse,” and had since taken steps to improve his lifestyle and behaviour. He said he had been “struggling with difficult and emotional personal circumstances” at the time. It was noted the misconduct was brief and not part of a wider pattern.
The outcome
PC Francis accepted his conduct breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour but argued it amounted to misconduct rather than gross misconduct.
ACC McLain disagreed, finding the allegation proved as gross misconduct and concluding the breach was serious enough to warrant dismissal without notice. He said he was satisfied the incident caused harm and damage to the reputation of Gwent Police and the wider police service.
“The public expects police officers to uphold the highest standards and behave in accordance with the Code of Ethics whether they are on or off duty,” he said.
“I was in no doubt that the public would be shocked if they were to learn that a serving police officer was responsible for the conduct as displayed on the video.”
PC Francis will now be placed on the College of Policing’s barred list.
