Bedfordshire officer dismissed for arrest assault
A Bedfordshire Police officer has been given a suspended prison sentence and dismissed from duty after he used excessive force during an arrest of a teenage boy.
Police Constable Del Marwaha was convicted of common assault on the 15-year-old, which took place in the town of Luton last October. The boy had been arrested on suspicion of drugs offences when the incident occurred.
PC Marwaha denied the charge, but was convicted following a trial at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court last week. He was subsequently handed an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court. He was also ordered to complete 20 days of rehabilitative activities and pay £775 costs, a victim surcharge of £122 and £100 compensation to the victim.
PC Marwaha, who had been suspended from duty, was dismissed with immediate effect following a Special Case Hearing yesterday (September 30) in front of Chief Constable Garry Forsyth. PC Marwaha did not attend the hearing, which upheld he had breached the standards of professional behaviour for use of force and discreditable conduct.
Bedfordshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Sharn Basra said: “Our communities, quite rightly, expect us to act with integrity at all times, particularly in challenging and confrontational situations – which is why we have independent scrutiny panels to review our arrests and use of force on a regular basis.
“It is therefore of paramount importance that we treat those in our care, in whatever form that takes, with the utmost respect and courtesy. Any abuse of that trust impacts on every officer and damages that confidence in policing.
“Clearly PC Marwaha’s actions went way beyond what is acceptable, this ruling shows that such behaviour will not be tolerated by the force.”
