Police Constable Dismissed Following Harassment of Supervisor and Her Sister

A police constable has been dismissed from service and prohibited from working in policing subsequent to an accelerated misconduct hearing, after being found to have harassed his supervisor and her sister. Gloucestershire PC Ashley Weller had previously admitted guilt to two charges of harassment during an appearance at Swindon Magistrates’ Court in September. The court was informed that Weller posted content on social media platforms from December 25 to December 27, 2023, which resulted in distress for his sergeant and her sister. Assistant Chief Constable Arman Mathieson stated that Weller’s conduct was “incompatible with the standards expected of a police officer and the only option is dismissal”. Subsequent to the criminal proceedings, Weller received a sentence that included a 12-month community order, a 12-month restraining order, and an eight-week curfew. Additionally, he was directed to pay compensation, issued a fine, and mandated to cover court costs. An accelerated misconduct hearing, presided over by ACC Mathieson, was conducted at the Gloucestershire Police headquarters on Thursday, subsequent to the completion of the criminal proceedings. ACC Mathieson subsequently determined that Weller’s conduct constituted gross misconduct and terminated his employment without notice. Weller was also added to the Police Barred List. ACC Mathieson explained that the misconduct process was initiated to ascertain if Weller was suitable to continue his employment with Gloucestershire Police and to keep serving the public. ACC Mathieson stated, “Officers, staff and those who we serve should always feel safe interacting with every employee of Gloucestershire Police and behaviour such as that committed by PC Weller presents a real threat to the trust and confidence people have in us as a service and must be dealt with robustly.” He further added, “There is no place in our organisation for anyone who bullies or harasses a colleague or any member of the public and after hearing all the facts of the case, it was clear to me his actions are incompatible with the standards expected of a police officer and the only option is dismissal.”