A police officer who arrested a man for killing another passenger while travelling on the Elizabeth Line has been sacked for making sexually inappropriate comments to both male and female colleagues.
PC Aaron Petford attended a hearing at British Transport Police headquarters in Camden from January 22 to 25 following allegations of misconduct.
Over the course of a year, from August 2021, he was found to have made a series of inappropriate sexual comments to two female colleagues and one male colleague on a number of occasions.
The panel found all ten allegations proven and that his actions breached the standards of professional behaviour in relation to ‘authority, respect and courtesy’ and ‘discreditable conduct’.
They concluded that PC Petford acted deliberately and he was dismissed without notice.
Deputy Chief Constable Alistair Sutherland said: “Through his actions PC Petford showed his colleagues a complete lack of respect and professionalism and made them feel uncomfortable over a prolonged period. This is unacceptable and in no way supports the values of this force.”
PC Petford was the officer that arrested killer Kirkpatrick Virgo, who was jailed for 21 years after murdering passenger Thomas Parker, 24, following an argument about loud music from a portable speaker on the Elizabeth Line train in July 2022.
Virgo removed a heavy horseshoe from his rucksack and hit Thomas Parker on the head following the altercation. He was then chased and tackled by the victim’s brother Craig and later handcuffed by PC Petford.
