A policewoman was caught on CCTV running up to a Formula 1 car on display and kicking it ‘like she was taking a penalty’, a hearing heard.
Off-duty PC Demi Love had drank cocktails with friends in a Hilton hotel bar before they were due to go to a Spice Girls concert in nearby Wembley Stadium.
The bright orange car, which had been driven by double world champion Fernando Alonso for McLaren during the 2018 season, was parked in the hotel’s reception area for guests to admire.
As the group were leaving, Love was filmed ‘running’ up to it and then booting it, causing a ‘loud bang’ and £2,076 worth of damage in June 2019.
Love was filmed in four different angles on CCTV, while hotel manager Ross Blezard also witnessed what happened.
She claimed she had tripped and damaged the car accidentally, but a misconduct hearing found that the kick was deliberate.
Love faced criminal proceedings and pleaded not guilty to criminal damage in a magistrates’ court, however the Crown Prosecution Service since dropped the prosecution after she paid for the damage caused.
However, she still faced a Hampshire Constabulary misconduct hearing this week.
A panel found charges proven of ‘discreditable conduct’ and breaching standards of honesty and integrity, by lying during investigations including a criminal interview with the Metropolitan Police.
It ruled she would have been dismissed without notice had she not already resigned.
Barrister Stephen Morley, prosecuting on behalf of the Professional Standards Department, said: ‘PC Love said in interview she had about four cocktails but denied she was drunk.
‘CCTV footage captures PC Love and her friends coming out of the lift, turning left and stopping momentarily.
‘It looks like a group of young ladies who had had a few drinks.
‘The footage shows PC Love stopping momentarily a few feet away from the vehicle then quickly moving towards it, kicking it, turning around and going back to her friends.’
Mr Morley said Love could first be seen glancing to her left ‘to see who was looking’ before ‘running for three steps at speed before kicking it hard enough to cause a loud bang, like she was taking a penalty. She started laughing and giggling.’
The misconduct hearing was told that while the damage was relatively small it still cost £2,076 to repair.
Mr Morley said: ‘PC Love says this was all a complete accident. She says she was moving towards her friends… she says she tripped or slipped and fell on to the vehicle.
‘The footage and Mr Blezard’s account… makes it clear that she didn’t slip or fall, she was walking with purpose towards the vehicle.
‘We say that the footage and PC Love’s account simply do not tally.’
Sergeant Anderson Moray, representing Love, read out a short statement to the panel which said: ‘PC Love has consistently denied that she deliberately damaged the car.
‘She accepts having drinks with her friends, she accepts having contact with the car and she accepts that she caused the damage.
‘She regrets her actions but remained adamant that the damage was accidental.
‘She has taken responsibility for causing the damage and taken steps to put it right.’
Harry Ireland, the legally qualified chair of the police misconduct panel, said: ‘In the first 15 seconds [of the footage] the former officer can be seen to make a deliberate movement with her right foot in to the car body.
‘There was no fall or trip, it was a deliberate action.’
Both charges were found proved and the panel made the finding that, had Love not already resigned, she would have been dismissed.
Hilton describes itself as a ‘proud sponsor’ of the McLaren Formula 1 team.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.