PC slouched in seat during abuse course

A former police officer who slouched down in his seat "in a manner indicative of boredom" during a domestic violence course would have been sacked had he not quit.

Former PC Callum Hubbard attended the course at Thames Valley Police's (TVP) Sulhamstead training centre in Berkshire with about 20 other colleagues in January.

It was led by officers and attended by a woman who was a victim of domestic violence.

A panel, including TVP's assistant chief constable Dennis Murray, concluded Mr Hubbard's behaviour could have caused "significant harm" to the force's reputation if not tackled.

It found Mr Hubbard made "inappropriate" comments, which included making a comment about the way a woman who had been violently assaulted in a video was dressed.

He also said if the abuse was bad, then the woman would not have changed her top, as she had in the video.

The panel concluded that "indicated a lack of understanding and empathy with the victim".

During an investigation, Mr Hubbard apologised and "spoke about a number of medical conditions which he said he might have and said that sometimes what he actually says does not come out as he intends," the force said.

He resigned from TVP in May, with his resignation effective from June.

The panel concluded that though he had offered apologies, they were "less than full and frank".

Mr Hubbard did not attend the hearing, which was held at TVP's headquarters in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, last week.