A police officer is to keep her job despite being found guilty of gross misconduct for using excessive force after she repeatedly struck former Aston Villa player Dalian Atkinson with a baton.
A disciplinary panel found on Friday that PC Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith, a West Mercia officer, acted wrongly when she struck Mr Atkinson three times during an incident on 15 August, 2016, after which the former footballer later died. Despite being found guilty, PC Bettley-Smith will keep her job in the police force, the panel also ruled.Mr Atkinson died after being kicked at least twice in the head by PC Bettley-Smith's more experienced colleague, PC Benjamin Monk, outside his father's home in Telford, Shropshire.
The ex-footballer had been tasered to the ground before he was kicked and then PC Bettley-Smith used her police-issue baton claiming she"perceived" he was trying to get up.The tribunal found three initial strikes before Monk kicked Mr Atkinson were"lawful", but it found PC Bettley-Smith's decision to then hit him a further three times - after police back-up had arrived - was"unnecessary, disproportionate and unreasonable".
I wonder if a member of the public hit her 3 times with a Baton for no reason what would happen to them she is a bully a total disgrace how can the met say trust us when they have this bitch on the road ment to be protecting the public she is happy to batter the public joke
Fcking disgrace. Police are no friends of the general public. As proven over the past 3 years.
Who gets to beat someone to death and then keep their job? Oh hey police
Had she been a BLACK female Police Officer found guilty of gross misconduct against an ex-Aston Villa British WHITE player, she would not only lost her job. She would have been crucified
So can anyone now hit someone with a metal baton 'unlawfully' and still keep their jobs/avoid jail? This is a sick joke
Officer not fit to do her job but supported by not fit for purpose constabulary. Officer already on probation allowed to keep her job in spite of being involved in manslaughter. Then the police wonder why they are so hated.
Fucking disgraceful
Absolute disgrace
She’d have been far better not laying hands on him. That’s the way it’s going. The law favours the criminal.
And keeps her job. What do people need to do to be held to account in Tory Britain?