'Take your time': Inspector's 'message to officers' after colleague made urgent call for help at pizza parlour fight

Inspector Jaswant Singh told colleagues to "take their time" and "calm down" despite a police sergeant warning over the radio the scene was "going off like a bottle of pop" at Olivio's in Stourbridge, West Midlands, last year.

However, a police constable said she was "shocked" when later told by fellow officers the inspector "had gone to the wrong pizza place and there was no sign of disorder".

Pc Teresa Bird said two officers told her afterwards the inspector had turned up to another takeaway called Romino's, less than 100 metres away.

The officer said she had no evidence he failed to go to the right location, only the hearsay of colleagues.

A West Midlands Police panel in Birmingham today heard evidence Mr Singh allegedly breached professional standards by failing in his duties on the night, and then lying about what happened.

The allegations against Mr Singh record how he was the duty inspector for Dudley when trouble broke out at the pizzeria just before 2.30am on Sunday February 23.

The hearing was told that Sgt Mark Butler, at Olivio's, said in a radio message: "I need officers down on the High Street, like yesterday, please."

Asked where he was by Inspector Singh, he replied: "Straight to Olivio's, it's going off like a bottle of pop in here."

Just minutes later, the inspector radioed back stating: "Yeah, I'm here now, things have calmed down so people can slow down, but still make, over."

This prompted the sergeant to query: "Gaffer, have you just said people can slow down?"

He quickly added: "That's a negative boss. I need them here and I need them now."

At the time, Sgt Butler told the panel he and a colleague were in the eatery in a "very challenging" scene trying to split two groups of "heavy and muscular" men on the verge of fighting each other.

Moments earlier, two "grappling" men had been ejected from the pizza parlour by another officer, who was still tied up outside dealing with the pair.

It is alleged that Mr Singh was in no position to assess the situation on the ground at the time, when he made the call for other responding units to slow down.

When back-up did arrive, it is alleged the inspector who was by now outside the restaurant, "instructed them it was calm".

Panel chairman assistant chief constable Carl Foulkes, reading out the allegation, said: "It was apparent it was not calm inside and that police sergeant Butler needed assistance, and they (the officers) went past you."

It was further alleged: "By making a transmission that it was calm inside and to wait outside, you failed to carry out your duties and responsibilities diligently."

The panel heard that shortly after back-up arrived, both groups - numbering about eight men in all, were thrown out and sent off in opposite directions.

One man was arrested and later given a fixed penalty fine.

Later, Pc Bird was asked about her statement, where she said Mr Singh had "tried to cancel back-up because he attended the wrong pizzeria".

She replied: "Yes they (her colleagues) said he had gone to the wrong pizza place and there was no sign of disorder."

Pc Bird added: "I was shocked, shocked that he hadn't tried to find us to make sure that we didn't need help.

"Surely officers would still be there and he would need to find out those officers were safe.

"If we weren't in the pizza parlour then where were we? Injured somewhere?

"I was shocked that hadn't been found out first before cancelling."

She accepted this was something she had been told by others and not seen for herself.

Following the incident, after two meetings with a chief inspector to discuss what happened, it is alleged the inspector lied to the senior officer about the incident.

Inspector Singh denies all the allegations.

David Mason QC, counsel for Mr Singh, asked Sgt Butler about his initial recollection being wrong that the inspector had actually cancelled back-up.

He then asked: "What he (the inspector) is doing there is saying the heat has come out of the situation, people can slow down, otherwise in his opinion things have calmed down and other officers who might be rushing to the scene can take things a little more steadily?"

Sgt Butler replied: "By that transmission, yes."

Later the sergeant added: "I can 100% say I did not see Inspector Singh in the premises."

However, he later told the panel "there is a possibility" the senior officer was in Olivio's, and that he just did not see him with everything else going on.

Pc Bird said she had seen the inspector enter along with back-up.

She later filled out a "near-miss report" about what happened, dealing with health and safety issues.

If the case against Mr Singh is found proven and is determined to amount the gross misconduct, he faces immediate dismissal from the force.

The panel is expected to hear more evidence from fellow officers on the scene that night and the hearing continues.