'Crass, tasteless and offensive': West Midlands Police officer sacked over rape 'joke'

Pc Richard Mayes, aged 45, also called an unmarried mother 'Jeremy Kyle fodder' and made a reference to South African police brutality during a training session for officers.

While those two incidents were seen as examples of Pc Mayes' behaviour crossing the misconduct threshold, it was a crude gesture made while discussing a rape scene which caused him to be dismissed by West Midlands Police.

Pc Mayes, who is the lead officer for Taser training with the force and worked in Wolverhampton for some time, told a panel at a two-day disciplinary hearing in Birmingham that finished today that his rape comment was something he regretted in hindsight.

He told the hearing: "I do regret that and I wouldn't use that reference in a public place.

"The class were discussing how your five senses can help on the job as a police officer and someone asked how taste could help.

"People were laughing and it was a ridiculous answer to a ridiculous suggestion. It was a bad joke."

After reaching a verdict on whether Pc Mayes' behaviour had crossed the threshold for gross misconduct, assistant chief constable Marcus Beale said: "The panel are appalled he would display such crass, tasteless and offensive conduct to a victim of rape, even an imaginary one.

"Pc Mayes gestures and conduct left unchecked could shatter the fragile confidence West Midlands Police has earned from the victims of rape.

"It would be difficult for him to earn the trust of a rape victim or work with officers investigating such a crime.

"While we have heard positive character references for Pc Mayes and heard evidence as to why he shouldn't be dismissed, it was not sufficient enough to dissuade us from dismissing him without notice."

During one morning of the Taser course, held in May 2014, Pc Mayes said something offensive to Pc Emma Francis, who had lived in South Africa for 20 years. Pc Mayes, who has been with the force for 10 years, denied knowing that what he had just said to her was offensive.

The panel also heard that Pc Mayes labelled Pc Kim Warrior, as 'Jeremy Kyle fodder' after learning she was an unmarried mother during an ice breaking session, although Pc Warrior claimed she did not feel offended by what was said.

In relation to these comments, assistant chief constable Marcus Beale said: "We believe there are a number of factors to take in other than the fact Pc Warrior said she didn't feel offended by being labelled Jeremy Kyle fodder.

"The comment was made right at the beginning of the course, when Pc Mayes should have been setting the tone and standard for the days ahead.

"While it is fortunate that Pc Warrior wasn't offended we believe Pc Mayes acted recklessly as to whether she would have been offended by this sexist and derogatory behaviour.

"In regards to the second allegation, we assess that he was reckless to the effect his question, in an open forum, would have had on Pc Francis."