Sussex Police officer fired in Bognor arrest scandal

PC Hayley Noyes of Sussex Police has been dismissed after attending a stop and search incident at the request of PC Alice Price, who at the time was banned from wearing a police uniform, making an arrest, or dealing with members of the public.

Price, who was under investigation for serious conduct allegations at the time, detained a motorist in Felpham, Bognor, on December 31, 2019.

Noyes drove to the scene at Price’s request, failing to challenge the clear breach of restrictions and covering up her banned colleague’s actions in a subsequent report.

She also amended another officer’s incident report to minimise Price’s inclusion in the event, and provided intentionally false information in her witness statement, the Independent Office for Police Conduct stated.

The officers stopped a motorist in Bognor in 2019

Graham Beesley, regional director for the Independent Office for Police Conduct, said: “Behaviour of this kind, involving dishonesty, undermines the police service and has the capacity to impact negatively on public confidence in policing.

“The panel chair described what the officers did as deliberate and premeditated operational dishonesty, and the seriousness of the allegations proven is underlined by the sanctions.”

The man detained by Price and Noyes was found to be in possession of cannabis and a pen knife, and was issued with a fixed penalty notice which was later rescinded due to the misconduct claims brought against the officers.

Price broke her restrictions further whilst dealing with a suspected shoplifter on January 12, 2020, for which she also failed to make a statement of her actions.

Brighton Police Station

The pair were both found to have breached standards of professional behaviour for honesty and integrity, orders and instructions, and discreditable conduct. Noyes also broke the standards for duties and responsibilities, and reporting improper conduct.

Price resigned in March 2020. Should Price still have been employed with Sussex Police, she too would have been sacked, the Independent Office for Police Conduct said.

Noyes has been sacked with immediate effect.

Both officers will be placed on the College of Policing barred list preventing future employment within the police force, and are guilty of gross misconduct.

The ten-month investigation, which began in February 2020, reviewed body-worn video footage, police radio transmissions, records of the incident, interviews from officers involved, and statements from police witnesses.

The four-day trial ended on Thursday, April 28.