Gwent Police detective Claire Fitzpatrick fired for breaking wind and repeatedly using four-letter swear words

Detective Constable Claire Fitzpatrick was accused of unprofessional behaviour between summer and December 2017 in Bedwas police station, Caerphilly, where she was a temporary sergeant.

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During that time it’s also said she behaved unprofessionally and acted in a bullying way to officers under her command.

Bedwas police station

A misconduct hearing at Cwmbran noted that sometimes this behaviour was in front of, and also directed towards, members of the public.

The following allegations were found proven and panel decided that the officer would be dismissed without notice:

• In or about July 2017 you addressed members of E relief at Bedwas police station and you remarked that if anyone had an objection to the use of a particular offensive word then they should let you know or words to that effect.

• In about July 2017 at Bedwas police station you spoke to PC Champion and stated that she used an offensive word.

• On or about 14th July 2017 whilst you were on mobile patrol you spoke to a member of the public and used offensive language to him.”

• Upon return to the police station after the incident in paragraph 3 above you recounted the story to officers and thought it was funny as you were laughing as the story was recounted.

• Between July and December 2017 in the presence of other officers you used a particular offensive word repeatedly.

• In or about the summer or autumn of 2017 in front of other officers at Bedwas police station you made inappropriate and offensive comments to PC Coulson.

• Between July and October 2017, you asked unwanted and intrusive questions about PC Lewis Evans’ sex life.

• Between July and October 2017 you have suggestively winked at Lewis Evans and referred to him as the “Hoff.”

• In the autumn of 2017 at Bedwas police station you were aware that PC Jemma Goodfield had a sore throat and in front of other officers you made an inappropriate and offensive suggestion to her.

• Between July and December 2017 you shared details of your own sex life with your husband with other officers at Bedwas police station when such behaviour was unwanted.

• In or about the autumn of 2017, at Bedwas Police Station, you shouted at PC Karen Hartshorne, “have you got any cream for thrush?”

• Between July and December 2017 you openly broke wind in front of other officers and on occasions you gave an inappropriate and offensive explanation as to why you had done so.

• Between July and December 2017 on a number of occasions you belittled PC Mark Powell in front of other officers.

• On or about the 1st of October 2017 as PC Lewis Evans was in the process of searching an arrested person, Mr Boulton having found a knife upon him you spoke to the officer in a patronising and demeaning way in front of Mr Boulton and other officers.

• On the 8th October 2017 during the arrest of Craig Parry who had been placed into the rear of a police vehicle handcuffed to the front you used inappropriate and offensive language to PC Lewis Evans.

• On the 9th October 2017 at Bedwas on attending to an incident in which school girls had entered the Rhymney river you: • rebuked and accused PC Lewis Evans of not providing information to you. You did so in front of other officers and members of the public.

• You spoke in an unprofessional and intemperate manner to Mrs Raison head teacher of Mynydd Haf Independent Day School when you rebuked her for referring to a “crack den” and

• you told her in angry tones to stop talking.

• You told her to look directly at you as you accused her of avoiding eye contact.

• You told her she needed to listen to you and do as she was told.

• You told one young person that she was “vile”

• You were aggressive to all present

• You told the head teacher that her school was a nuisance and that it was her job to keep the children safe and that she was making a drama out of the situation

• On or about the 27th November 2017 you attended with PC Powell at a call relating to threats to kill a woman and:

• you repeatedly told PC Powell that he didn’t have a speaking role in front of the woman and

• On an occasion in the autumn of 2017 you spoke to PC Lewis Evans in front of other officers and used inappropriate language” in a condescending and patronising way when he was operating a scanner.

• Between July and October 2017 you stated to officers at Bedwas police station you wanted to cheat on your husband and have an affair with a PC.

• On or about the 3rd December 2017 you spoke to PC Cavill in front of other officers and asked if he had a girlfriend and whether he would like an affair with an older woman and when he said “no” you said, “I’ll be gentle I promise” or words to that effect.

DC Fitzpatrick last month told her tribunal panel there was a “culture of banter” in the Bedwas station at the time of the alleged incidents.

She admitted a number of accusations, but said the words were spoken in jest.

Speaking about the allegation of asking a fellow officer for thrush cream, DC Fitzpatrick said she accepted saying it.

“I wasn’t suffering from thrush at the time, so I wasn’t asking her some literally,” she said.

“It was just another example of stupid, inappropriate things being said.”

Between July and October 2017, DC Fitzpatrick was said to have told officers at Bedwas Police station that she wanted to cheat on her husband, and that she wanted to have an affair with a police constable.

The detective denied these accusations.

But she did admit an incident in December 2017 where she asked a PC if he had a girlfriend in front of other officers, and whether he would like an affair with an older woman.

Complainants said when the PC said no, DC Fitzpatrick replied: “I’ll be gentle, I promise.”

Explaining her words, the detective told the panel that she realised they were inappropriate almost as soon as she said them.

“I met the officer a couple of months before. There was a bit of banter,” she said.

“I don’t know how the conversation started but we started speaking about whether he had a girlfriends or children.

“I said: ‘Well if you ever fancy an affair with a fatter, ugly, older woman who wears glasses I have a number.’

“He said no thank you.

“In response I pretended to throw up in my mouth, and he moved away to sit down.

“I thought instantly that I had said the wrong thing at the wrong time. I went over to him, put my hand on his shoulder and said that I didn’t mean it, that he didn’t know my sense of humour and that I was sorry.

“He kind of acknowledged that. He knew I wasn’t serious.”

The tribunal panel also heard complaints had been made about DC Fitzpatrick breaking wind and giving inappropriate reasons for doing so.