British Police officer sacked for abusing staff at takeaway wins job back

If only all Brits were treated so leniently

A policewoman who was sacked after she racially abused takeaway staff has been allowed to return to the beat after claiming her remarks "were not the worst kind of racism".

Pc Katie Barratt was dismissed over racist comments she made following a Northumbria Police Christmas party in 2017. However, a panel overturned the "unreasonable" dismissal in a ruling on Monday.

It means Pc Barratt can return to the beat, while the force will have to hand her at least £15,000 in back pay.

Pc Barratt was waiting to be served in the Spice of Punjab, when she said in front of colleagues: "I wish these f------ p---- would hurry up with my pizza".

It was also claimed she had called them "n-----s, something Pc Barratt never denied.

The panel heard staff had been buying Pc Barratt drinks all night at the 2017 Christmas "jolly" but she had since addressed that.   "She's not touched a drop of drink after this incident," said Mr Landenburg.

And he said she felt that she shouldn't have been sacked "because it is not the worst kind of racism".

Instead he claimed it was a one-off for which she should be given a second chance rather than the "nuclear option" of dismissal.

She and her mother wept as she was given the green light to resume her career as an officer. The force had fought to block her return, claiming her slurs could "seriously damage" the police's reputation. "Sadly it confirms a stereotype that is unfortunately held in some communities about the police," said the force's barrister Steven Reid.

Questions will now also be asked over whether Pc Barratt can work well with Asian communities. The panel heard she would find that hard after her picture was widely used in national media. And even her own barrister admitted the slurs she used were an "abomination".

Mr Reid said  the force felt no racism from an officer - on or off-duty - was ever acceptable.

"The appellant didn't go out that night to deliberately racially abuse members of the public," he stated. "But the fact remains she did."

The three-person panel downgraded her punishment to a final warning after two hours of deliberations.

SOURCE