Pranksters given sack

Press, 23 February 1989, Page 8

Pranksters given sack

NZPA-PA London Four British policemen, including an inspector with 20 years service and a sergeant, have been dismissed from the force for taking part in a prank on a young constable. Four other officers, two of them sergeants, have been disciplined for the prank, in which the young constable was held at gunpoint in a fake hold-up. The sergeants were demoted and the two constables fined and reprimanded.

Sheffield, where P.C. lan Bailey, aged 24, was ambushed after being told to investigate a hold-up at a post office. Yesterday a force spokesman would say only: “Following the incident at Ranmoor on October 10, a number of police officers appeared before the chief constable and were appropriately punished.” P.C. Bailey was understood to have been grabbed by two colleagues posing as crooks, dressed in combat

The incident occurred jackets and wearing last October at Ranmoor, balaclava masks, after

being lured to the scene. His captors, armed with an airgun, handcuffed him and marched him to an isolated spot nearby. He was allegedly made to lie face down and - his trousers were pulled down and photographs taken. Then the “bandits” disclosed their identities.

P.C. Bailey did not report the incident but was understood to have told a relative, who contacted senior officers.

The independent Police Complaints Authority launched an investigation.