Police officer sacked for hitting football fan

A police officer has been dismissed for using excessive force during the arrest of a football fan, the institution's watchdog has said.

PC Richard Mannox, a West Midlands Police officer, was investigated by the watchdog over a 2023 incident outside Bescot Stadium after a Walsall FC match.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it had gathered evidence that showed PC Mannox pushing the fan, from Cumbria side Barrow AFC, and hitting him across the face.

A misconduct hearing this month concluded that his use of force "was not reasonable" and he had now been barred from policing, the IOPC added.

The incident took place after a match between Walsall and Barrow on 4 March 2023.

The fan, Edward Papas, was initially prosecuted over the violence but he was cleared of two counts of assault in January 2024.

The IOPC said its investigation began after a "football supporter alleged that he had been punched and threatened by officers, rather than it being the man who had assaulted the officers."

Evidence showed PC Mannox using "a confrontational approach from the outset" and "speaking aggressively before swearing and threatening the man", the watchdog added.

It also said that footage of the incident had been widely circulated.

West Midlands Police said in a statement that the vast majority of its officers and staff were dedicated and hard-working.

"Where people fall short of the high standards expected of them, we will act to ensure they are dealt with appropriately and, where necessary, dismissed," it added.

Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.