A long-serving policeman who touched a female officer on the bottom then slapped her so hard he left red marks on her arms has been dismissed.

PC James McCall’s behaviour at a work Christmas party and on other occasions in 2018 breached professional standards and amounted to gross misconduct, a police disciplinary panel found on Monday, November 11.

The panel heard the Avon and Somerset Constabulary officer, who was nearing retirement, was upset and had been drinking when he arrived at the police Christmas party at Sheppy’s House of Cider in Taunton on December 13, 2018.

A police prosecutor said the officer, who was suffering from mental health problems, had not wanted to attend but had been persuaded by a colleague. 

Barrister George Thomas said PC McCall found social events difficult and, despite an “anxious” start, began buying drinks and tried to be “the life and soul of the party”.

He ordered 15 shots of Sambuca for members of a female choir having a separate Christmas party downstairs, and called a male officer a “c**t” in front of two of the women.

The abused officer reported PC McCall’s conduct that night, which included abusing two junior officers and touching the bottom of a staff member at the venue. 

The officer said he was “really concerned” the young police officers might not have felt able to report the matter themselves.

The panel heard PC McCall had tried to touch the bottom of a young female officer who batted his hand away and told him to “get off” before he tried again and succeeded. 

He later approached her from behind when she was sat down and slapped her on her bare upper arms so hard that it stung and she was left with a raised red mark on her right shoulder. 

Witnesses described the young officer, who was less than a year into her training, as looking “teary” and “distressed” afterwards. 

After visiting the restrooms to gather herself, the female officer challenged PC McCall who appeared “mortified” he had hurt his junior colleague and apologised profusely. 

The panel also heard PC McCall tried to get a young officer in his “first week” of training to “down” a large glass of gin and tonic at the party.

The older officer made homophobic slurs towards the young man when he politely declined to drink the alcohol in one go. 

PC McCall also touched the buttocks of a male member of staff at the venue, the panel heard.

Neither the staff member nor either junior police officer reported the matter. The men said they were not offended by PC McCall’s behaviour and the female officer said she felt she had dealt with it sufficiently.

Several witnesses corroborated the reports of PC McCall’s conduct, and a number defended his character and put his behaviour down to “high spirits” and “banter”.

But Mr Thomas argued the behaviour was “highly offensive” and that an officer of PC McCall’s age and experience had “absolutely no business” doing what he did “on or off duty, alcohol or no alcohol, Christmas party or no Christmas party”.

The panel also heard that earlier that year, while off duty, PC McCall had abused two on-duty PCSOs in the town centre of Taunton.

He had called them “f***ers” loud enough for passersby to hear and raised two fingers in an insulting gesture outside Starbucks on September 13, 2018.

The PCSOs said they felt “embarrassed” by his behaviour and Mr Thomas argued it undermined their authority in the eyes of members of the public.

PC McCall had failed to turn up to work in the two days previously, despite being rostered on.

The officer, who received a series of commendations throughout his career, did not attend the misconduct hearing or respond to the allegations in any way.

An application to have the hearing adjourned on mental health grounds was denied.

The panel, led by independent chair Peter Cadman, found PC McCall had breached standards of authority, respect and courtesy, conduct, and duties and responsibilities.

Mr Cadman, who is legally qualified, said the breaches amounted to gross misconduct.

PC McCall was dismissed without notice.

In a statement released after the hearing, Supt Simon Wilstead, head of professional standards, said: “On two occasions, PC James McCall made abusive and highly offensive comments to colleagues while off-duty.

“The first incident saw him using offensive language towards PCSOs in Taunton town centre in September 2018.

“The second incident was at a social event in Taunton in December 2018 in which he behaved completely inappropriately and used deeply offensive and discriminatory language towards his colleagues.

“All forms of discriminatory behaviour and conduct are completely inexcusable and have no place in the police service.”

The misconduct hearing took place at Avon and Somerset Police HQ in Portishead.