PC's crash comment 'was a bid to calm down his ex'

A Humberside Police officer who told an ex he was going to "crash a car and leave her inside it" made the comment in a bid to calm her down because she had been "kicking and screaming", a misconduct panel has heard.

Liam Madden is accused of abusing his former partner and colleague during the course of their personal relationship between June 2019 and May 2021, and another woman in 2022.

The panel heard his relationship with both women featured "jealousy and insecurities on both sides", with the first being "unhealthy and bad".

PC Madden denies allegations that his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct.

The panel has heard details about the officer's alleged pattern of "controlling or oppressive" behaviour towards the two women, who were both serving officers at the time.

Giving evidence, one of the the women – referred to as "PC A" – said she felt the officer was "attempting to control me".

But PC Madden's barrister, Nick Stanage, claimed his client was not controlling, oppressive or abusive and said the pair were in a car arguing when, in October 2020, PC Madden had told PC A, "I’m going to crash this car with you in it and leave you there."

Mr Stanage told the woman: "You were arguing, kicking and screaming. That's why he made the car comment, to calm you down."

"No, that's not fair," she replied.

The panel also heard he had called PC A "a slag", but she had used the derogatory word on herself in "a jovial way" in text message exchanges between the pair in relation to her having "kissed a few people".

However, she told the panel the term had upset her when it was used by PC Madden.

In mitigation, PC Madden's barrister said his client was reassuring the woman she was "not a slag".

Mr Stanage described PC Madden as "decent and kind" and told the hearing there were "insecurities on both sides", with the pair checking the contents of each other's phones because of their interactions with others.

The woman admitted to the panel that she, too, was "jealous" of his interactions with women but she was "not controlling".

She also denied an allegation of assault against him.

The hearing continues.

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