Drunken off-duty police officer racially abused taxi driver and threatened people during night out at Newport’s Celtic Manor Resort

A Gwent Police misconduct hearing held last week was told that Police Constable Rhys Hussain would have been sacked by the force had he not resigned first over the allegations against him.

He was found to have been “excessively intoxicated in a public place” and his behaviour was so bad that staff at the five-star hotel called police.

The disciplinary panel in the proceedings, held at Gwent Police headquarters in Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran, “found the allegations proven on the balance of probabilities”.

Constable Hussain was accused of the following: “You were disrespectful and discourteous to staff at Celtic Manor. Your behaviour included using foul language to and in the presence of a number of members of staff at Celtic Manor, being argumentative and refusing to leave the premises upon reasonable request.

“You were disrespectful and discourteous to Mr JA while being driven in his taxi. Your behaviour included using foul language to Mr JA.

“You were threatening to Mr BM, Mr TM and Mr JA. Your behaviour included speaking aggressively to Mr BM, Mr TM and Mr JM, asking Mr TM if he wanted a fight and spreading your arms wide towards him, pulling Mr JA by his shirt collar, poking Mr JA in the back, and threatening to “do” Mr JA.

“You were abusive to Mr JA and Mr AS. Your behaviour included calling Mr JA a racially derogatory term, sticking your middle finger up at Mr JA for a prolonged period in and obscene gesture, and calling Mr AS derogatory and insulting terms.”

The hearing was told that Hussain called the cab driver “a racially derogatory term on multiple occasions while being driven in his taxi” and also refused to pay him.

The officer’s “discreditable conduct” was said to include:

• being excessively intoxicated in a public place

• being asked to leave the premises on multiple occasions

• refusing to leave the premises

• requiring Celtic Manor staff to call the police

• arguing with and being abusive and threatening to Celtic Manor staff including using foul language

• being abusive and threatening to Mr JA including using foul language, a racist insult, and an obscene hand gesture

• not paying Mr JA the taxi fare you owed him; bring discredit upon and undermine the public confidence in the police service.

The panel found the allegations “proven on the balance of probabilities”.

It was added that “as the officer had already resigned from Gwent Police prior to the proceedings, the outcome was that the officer would have been dismissed had he still been serving with the police service”.

After the hearing, Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Warrender, head of professional standards, said: "Police officers are required to act in line with the standards of professional behaviour, whether on or off duty.

"PC Hussain's behaviour on the evening fell far below those standards.

"The independent panel who heard the case determined that had he not already resigned from the force, he would have been dismissed."