PC who dragged woman from home banned from policing

A police officer has been sacked and banned from the profession after dragging a woman from a property and leaving her partially-dressed on the driveway.

PC Paul Littler was found guilty of gross misconduct on Wednesday at a hearing arranged by West Midlands Police, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The IOPC said Littler abused his position and treated the woman with "a lack of respect" during the incident in Birmingham in November 2022.

He was dismissed without notice and added to the College of Policing's barred list.

At the time of the incident, Littler was already on a final written warning relating to a separate incident.

The misconduct hearing's disciplinary panel was told that Littler had gone to the property following reports that a tenant was refusing to leave.

The panel heard that the woman told Littler she had the right to stay at the property and tried to show him evidence on her phone, which he ignored, telling her: "I am the police, I can make up stuff as I go along, can't I?", and: "I've read it, you are still getting dragged out."

Littler then handcuffed the woman and dragged her onto the driveway.

"As she was being dragged outside she told police she was she was a Muslim, hijab-wearing woman, and that she had no trousers on," said IOPC director Derrick Campbell. "The panel agreed this was undignified and that the officer failed to respect her request for modesty."

However, the panel did not find Littler had discriminated against the woman because of her faith.

An allegation that Littler used language suggesting he would abuse his power as a police officer was proven.

"PC Littler was in a position of trust but he treated the woman with a lack of respect, despite her being at a multi-occupancy property housing people with vulnerabilities."

Littler was found to have breached the standards of behaviour governing authority, respect, and courtesy; the use of force; and discreditable conduct.

The IOPC said another officer would also be subject to a misconduct hearing relating to the incident, on a date yet to be determined.

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