Off-duty PC sacked for punching man in nightclub

An off-duty police officer who punched a member of the public in a nightclub has been sacked.

PC Brett Spruce, who worked for West Yorkshire Police, assaulted the man at the O2 Academy in Leeds in the early hours of 22 September 2023.

He later provided a "misleading" account of what happened to his supervisor, a misconduct panel concluded.

PC Spruce was sacked from the force without notice after the panel ruled dismissal was the only way to maintain public confidence.

The hearing was told PC Spruce had pushed the man then delivered a "forceful punch" to his face under the belief he was being challenged "without justification".

He was said to have had an interaction with the victim's girlfriend moments earlier.

The officer's claim he was acting in self-defence was rejected by the panel, who said his actions were "disproportionate".

The victim had to be put into the recovery position after the officer's attack.

PC Spruce also refused to provide his details to security staff at the venue because "he knew that he had used unlawful force", according to the solicitor representing West Yorkshire Police, Simon Mallett.

The incident came to light the next day when PC Spruce, who the panel heard was "well regarded by colleagues and supervisors", reported himself.

They rejected a plea from PC Spruce's solicitor Ben Tighe to issue the officer with a final written warning and said his client's actions were "so serious as to justify dismissal".

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