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| Met police officer who used racial slur against suspect is sacked | Met police officer who used racial slur against suspect is sacked |
| (3 months later) | |
| A police constable who was secretly recorded using a racial slur against a young black man under arrest in front of several colleagues has been sacked. | A police constable who was secretly recorded using a racial slur against a young black man under arrest in front of several colleagues has been sacked. |
| Metropolitan police constable Alex MacFarlane was in the back of a police van in August 2011 when he said to the arrested man, Mauro Demetrio, 21: "The problem with you is that you will always be a nigger." Demetrio recorded the incident in Newham on his mobile phone. | Metropolitan police constable Alex MacFarlane was in the back of a police van in August 2011 when he said to the arrested man, Mauro Demetrio, 21: "The problem with you is that you will always be a nigger." Demetrio recorded the incident in Newham on his mobile phone. |
| The recording was later released by the Guardian. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) initially declined to charge MacFarlane, only reversing the decision after Demetrio's lawyers threatened to challenge the decision and details of the case were made public. | The recording was later released by the Guardian. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) initially declined to charge MacFarlane, only reversing the decision after Demetrio's lawyers threatened to challenge the decision and details of the case were made public. |
| He twice faced trial for racially aggravated public disorder, however in both cases jurors were unable to reach a verdict. A judge dismissed the case in October. | He twice faced trial for racially aggravated public disorder, however in both cases jurors were unable to reach a verdict. A judge dismissed the case in October. |
| MacFarlane, 53, an officer for 18 years with a previously unblemished professional record, said he did not intend the phrase to be offensive. | MacFarlane, 53, an officer for 18 years with a previously unblemished professional record, said he did not intend the phrase to be offensive. |
| "I had formed an impression in my mind that he had low self-esteem," MacFarlane told jurors in his first trial. "I wanted him to reconsider his lifestyle, to not view his skin colour as the reason behind the problems he had, not to blame the police, not to blame other people." | "I had formed an impression in my mind that he had low self-esteem," MacFarlane told jurors in his first trial. "I wanted him to reconsider his lifestyle, to not view his skin colour as the reason behind the problems he had, not to blame the police, not to blame other people." |
| However, on Wednesday, the Met said it had sacked the officer for gross misconduct. Commander Allan Gibson, the director of the force's complaints department, said: "The [Met] requires officers to act professionally at all times. As soon as the allegations about PC MacFarlane were brought to the attention of the directorate of professional standards, an investigation was commenced and we referred the matter to the IPCC. | However, on Wednesday, the Met said it had sacked the officer for gross misconduct. Commander Allan Gibson, the director of the force's complaints department, said: "The [Met] requires officers to act professionally at all times. As soon as the allegations about PC MacFarlane were brought to the attention of the directorate of professional standards, an investigation was commenced and we referred the matter to the IPCC. |
| "The misconduct hearing carefully considered all the evidence in this case. It quite rightly took a very serious view of PC MacFarlane's conduct and emphasised that all members of the public have the right to be treated with respect and courtesy. | "The misconduct hearing carefully considered all the evidence in this case. It quite rightly took a very serious view of PC MacFarlane's conduct and emphasised that all members of the public have the right to be treated with respect and courtesy. |
| He added: "PC MacFarlane, as a trained officer, was expected to behave professionally even in the face of provocation. His breaches of our standards of professional behaviour were judged so serious that dismissal was the only appropriate outcome in this case." | He added: "PC MacFarlane, as a trained officer, was expected to behave professionally even in the face of provocation. His breaches of our standards of professional behaviour were judged so serious that dismissal was the only appropriate outcome in this case." |
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