Police officer facing misconduct hearing over string of alleged assaults

A Humberside Police officer accused of a string of offences in Scunthorpe, including allegedly slamming a 15-year-old boy to the ground, pushing a man over a wall and punching a taxi driver, will face a misconduct hearing later this month.

It is alleged that PC 0488 Jonathan Leighton breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour after four different incidents in 2019.

The police misconduct hearing will take place between November 22 and 29 at the old Magistrates Building on Estcourt Terrace in Goole.

The first allegation refers to a burglary he attended in Scunthorpe on July 10, 2019. A man was at the scene removing items from a property. Leighton reportedly pushed him over a wall, and again for a second time.

The second allegation relates to PC Leighton attending a location in the North Lincolnshire town with fellow officers during the evening of September 29, 2019.

A man was arrested and was being restrained by colleagues. The situation drew the attention of passers-by, who stopped at the scene, including Mr X. PC Leighton is alleged to have pushed Mr X twice.

The third incident happened whilst PC Leighton was on duty and attending an address in Scunthorpe with fellow officers during the evening of October 1, 2019.

When at the scene, he came into contact with a 15-year-old boy, who alleged that he had been the victim of an assault. It is alleged that PC Leighton pushed him to the ground and/or lifted him and slammed him to the ground.

The fourth allegation refers to an incident where PC Leighton was drunk in a taxi being driven by Mr A just before midnight on October 2, 2019.

Mr A repeatedly asked PC Leighton to pay up front but he refused. He asked, more than once, whether PC Leighton had enough money on his person to pay, which he repeatedly asserted that he did. Those assertions are said to be inaccurate as he only had a small amount of cash on him.

Mr A then said he was going to take PC Leighton to the police station. PC Leighton responded that “my mates are there, aren’t they?” Mr A took PC Leighton’s phone, believing the officer to be recording him.

The two of them fought, which spilled out of the taxi and the police were called. It is alleged that PC Leighton punched Mr A and applied pressure to his neck with his hand and/or the driver’s seatbelt.

It is alleged that once out of the taxi PC Leighton pushed Mr A from behind as the driver was returning to his vehicle, causing him to hit his car. As Mr A was returning to his vehicle on another occasion PC Leighton is said to have struck him from behind.

It is also alleged that PC Leighton gave an account to attending police officers that was, and which he knew to be, inaccurate. He repeatedly denied being in the taxi and claimed that he had just been walking by when he was attacked.

If these allegations are proven, they would breach Standards of Professional Behaviour and amount to gross misconduct

See the full misconduct hearing details here