A police firearms officer who was caught on camera punching a puppy has been sacked.
Martin Dunn, "lost his temper" after five-month-old springer spaniel pooed on a carpet and hit the defenceless animal three or four times, reports Yorkshire Live.
The brute, from Meltham, worked for the Greater Manchester Police's Specialist Operations Branch but was dismissed on Tuesday, May 2 after a hearing.
The shocking footage was played to Leeds Magistrates' Court in April 2021 and the cop was heard shouting at the dog: "You little b***ard!" A vet told the court in a report that when he shouted at the dog, the puppy cowered in "extreme fear".
The court heard how on the day of the attack on the pooch, Dunn "saw red". Probation claimed that the Dunn had been on duty at the terrorism incident at Manchester Arena in 2017 and has been suffering from PTSD "but without realising it".
Dunn, had pleaded guilty to an offence of animal cruelty at an earlier hearing and was sentenced to a community order requiring 120 hours of unpaid work and a ban from keeping animals for five years. He has now been sacked by Greater Manchester Police.
A spokesperson for the force said he had been on restricted duties since the incident was reported and investigated by West Yorkshire Police and admitted gross misconduct at an independent disciplinary panel at GMP Force Headquarters on 2 May 2023 and was dismissed without notice.
Chief Superintendent Michael Allen, Head of GMP's Professional Standards Branch, said: "Greater Manchester Police expects the highest standards of conduct from its officers, both on and off duty, and Dunn's actions clearly fell far short of these standards. The vast majority of police officers and staff fulfil their duties in serving the public to the highest standard and demonstrate exemplary behaviour in their private lives.
“Public trust and confidence in the police is vital and GMP does not underestimate the importance of officers and staff demonstrating the highest standards of professional behaviour towards not only members of the public but also to animals. Having a criminal conviction for animal cruelty makes Dunn wholly unsuitable to continue serving as a police officer and his cruelty towards Frank the dog is ultimately why he has lost his job.
"Dunn’s actions, which have rightly been condemned by the public and his colleagues, bring the profession into disrepute and damage the confidence the public has in police officers. I would like to thank West Yorkshire Police, who investigated this case criminally, and, working with the Crown Prosecution Service, secured the conviction at criminal court.
“GMP’s Professional Standards Branch has a responsibility to hold policing to account, taking action where misconduct is identified, and under new management this work is now accelerating, focusing both on legacy cases and new reports.”
Dunn's defence said he 'unreservedly accepted the allegations' and that it was an isolated incident. Paul Forster, the chairman of the independent panel, said the decision had been reached to "maintain public confidence in the police service."
He added: "Hearings like this are about the individual but also about much more, with bigger and wider considerations in play. Therefore, the most appropriate outcome is dismissal without notice."
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