A Durham Police officer who was found guilty of slapping a 15-year-old boy in the face while on duty will face a misconduct panel next week.
PC Nicola Voke-Williams will sit before a misconduct hearing next Tuesday (September 19) at Durham Police HQ at Aykley Heads to find out whether she will be dismissed from the force for the offence.
The police officer was convicted of assault after slapping the teenager in the face while on duty in Spennymoor in February 2022, and had her appeal on August 26 of this year dismissed.
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In court, PC Voke-Williams, who has 21 years of police experience, had attended an incident after reports of groups of youths who had arranged to fight in the town centre.
It was heard that the police officer had got into a dispute with a boy, 15, who had called her "useless".
A short video of the incident, which has since been released, shows PC Voke-Williams slapping the boy in the face.
She initially claimed he thought the boy was about to spit in her face, but the boy told the court he had puckered his lips and blown her a kiss.
On August 26, her appeal was dismissed by the judge and she was given a six-month suspended discharge, ordered to pay £50 compensation and court costs of around £425.
After the appeal, Detective Chief Inspector Yvonne Dutson, from Durham Police's professional standards department, said: "This officer was suspended while an investigation was carried out and they shall now face misconduct proceedings.
"The public and Durham Constabulary quite rightly expect the highest of standards from our officers and staff at all times, and the actions of this officer fell short of those standards."
Following her court appearances, she will now face a misconduct panel on September 19.
The misconduct document reads: "In February 2022, whilst a serving Police Constable has been on duty, they assaulted a 15-year-old boy by striking him across the face, the incident being subsequently heard at Magistrates Court at which time the Police Constable was found guilty of the offence of assault.
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"These actions are deemed to have breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to ‘’Discreditable Conduct”, namely that a Police Officer will behave in a manner, whether on or off duty, which does not bring discredit on the Police Service or undermine public confidence in policing.
"It is further alleged that these failings individually and/or cumulatively amount to Gross Misconduct."
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