Police officer no longer faces misconduct proceedings following a successful court appeal

PC Richard Smith faces no further disciplinary action and has been re-instated.

Gloucestershire Police Headquarters

A police officer who was acquitted of common assault by beating after he appealed his conviction in a hearing at crown court at the end of May will no longer face any misconduct proceedings. PC Richard Smith, age 50 and from Stroud, had been charged in connection with the use of force while detaining a man in Dursley on 22nd November 2020.

He denied the charge, and a District Judge at a hearing at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on 4th October last year found him guilty. PC Smith was sentenced to eight weeks in prison and suspended for 12 months.

However, the officer chose to appeal the conviction, and a hearing occurred at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, May 27th. His appeal was upheld, and a judge overturned the sentence.

Assistant Chief Constable Rhiannon Kirk said: "The court ruling found PC Smith’s use of force reasonable and proportionate to his honestly held belief at the time.

"The observations of the court have now been fully considered, and as a consequence, PC Smith is no longer subject to Constabulary misconduct proceedings, faces no further disciplinary action and has been re-instated to duty."