A NORTH Yorkshire police officer once hailed a hero for saving a woman’s life has been sacked for gross misconduct after admitting assaulting a 14-year-old boy and being ordered to serve a 12 month community order by Magistrates.

PC Graeme Gale who received a Royal Humane Society Award for risking his own life to stop a young woman jumping from a bridge attended a misconduct hearing at North Yorkshire Police headquarters in Northallerton on Friday February 11.

This followed his appearance at Teesside Magistrates in November when he admitted assaulting the 14-year-old boy on Darlington Road in Richmond on July 14 last year.

At the specially convened  misconduct hearing in front of a panel chaired by  North Yorkshire Chief Constable Lisa Winward  they found the allegation of discreditable conduct breached the Standard of Professional Behaviour.

A report of the hearing said: “The allegation was that on the 14th July 2021, PC Gale, whilst off duty, assaulted a 14-year-old boy on Darlington Road, Richmond. In particular by pulling/dragging him off a wall, applying to him, and/or attempted on him numerous leg sweeps/kicks and caused him to fall to the ground.

“The assault resulted in visible injury in the form of scratches to the back of the boys neck and pain. On the 29th November 2021, PC Gale attended Teesside Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to the assault. On the 17th December 2021, PC Gale attended Teesside Magistrates Court and was sentenced to a 12-month community order and ordered to pay a victims’ surcharge and costs.

“An accelerated misconduct hearing was held on Friday February 11, 2022 at North Yorkshire Police Headquarters, Alverton Court, Northallerton. Chief Constable Lisa Winward concluded that the allegation had been proved and amounted to Gross Misconduct.

 “The sanction was PC Gale was dismissed without notice and will be placed on the College of Policing Barred and Advisory list.”

At the court case PC Gale, 43, from Richmond was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge after the altercation outside the Premier convenience store.

PC Gale who was in the force as a Community Support Officer and PC for over 18 years was awarded a Royal Humane Society Award for risking his own life last March when he stopped a young woman jumping off a bridge over the A1. The woman was on the wrong side of the railings and it’s understood the officer reached over to grab her fearing she was about to jump.

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