Police Officer Reinstated After Assaulting Woman

A police officer has been reinstated into the force after being found guilty of causing actual bodily harm to a 60-year-old woman.

Sgt Mark Andrews was jailed for six months in 2010 after he was caught on CCTV dragging Pamela Somerville across the floor of Melksham police station and throwing her into a cell.

But now a High Court judge has ruled he must be given his job back, having spent only six days in jail.

Sgt Andrews was dismissed by Wiltshire Police, but an appeals tribunal ordered him to be reinstated to his £36,000 a year job.

An appeal found that the police officer had not intended to throw Ms Somerville into the cell.

The incident occurred after Ms Somerville was arrested when she was found sleeping in her car near her Colerne home.

Police claimed she had failed to provide a sample for a breath test. The charges against her were eventually dropped.

The High Court rejected an application by Wiltshire Police for a judicial review of the tribunal ruling.

Mr Justice Ouseley said he expected the order to be implemented "with full regard to its conclusions, and the failure of this unarguable challenge".

Chief Constable Pat Geenty added he did not believe it would be reasonable or proportionate to seek further legal appeal.

"I will now enter into discussions with Mark Andrews and his representatives in relation to his integration back into Wiltshire Police as a warranted police officer.

"The Police Appeals Tribunal accepted that Mark Andrews' actions were intolerant and discreditable and I felt they were a disgrace - there was no place in Wiltshire Police for this behaviour then nor is there now.

"While I believe the Police Discipline Panel's decision to dismiss Mark Andrews was correct, I accept the legal authority which states he must be reinstated."

(IT/GK)