Drunk Met Police officer who swore at e-scooter rider and got into a fight is dismissed

A Metropolitan Police officer who flew into a drunken rage over a passing e-scooter rider and got into a fight has been kicked off the force.

PC Liam Robinson called bar manager Sofiane Takorabt a "c**t" after he rode closely past the officer and his wife on their way home from a night out in Surbiton, southwest London.

A misconduct hearing heard how the rider replied with the words of, "There is no need for that," but this didn't diffuse the row.

Robinson started lecturing Takorabt on how it is against the law to ride an e-scooter in public, to which he replied it was up to the police to decide what was illegal.

The officer then showed his warrant card and started reciting parts of the Road Traffic Act. As the argument escalated, Takorabt took two photos of Robinson's group, which angered the two women he was with.

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As Robinson took the scooter off the rider, Lee Dack, who was in his own group, intervened and tried to separate the pair, and as he tried to give the scooter back, he and the policeman got into a brawl and both fell to the ground.

Robinson suffered a head injury that later needed medical treatment and Takorabt dialled 999 to report the fight, which took place at around 2.20am in July 2021.

He said he was worried he was not a real officer and was "shocked" to later find his card was genuine.

The panel also heard claims that Robinson head-butted Dack, but this could not be corroborated and was found to be "not proven".

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In its findings, published on Wednesday, the panel said that the incident “must seriously damage public confidence in the police”.

"The use of a warrant card, whilst the officer was drunk, is an abuse of authority and we consider an aggravating feature," it added.

"We have to conclude that a bystander that evening would rightly be appalled by seeing the events as they unfolded and we conclude that reputational damage [to the Met] is very high.

"Calling a member of the public a c**t was disgraceful and unedifying conduct. But by then getting out his warrant card when challenged, to make a point and take the scooter, we consider this action elevates his culpability.

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"The confrontation between him and Mr Takorabt could have escalated but instead a fight has broken out between the officer and Mr Dack in which the officer came off worse."

At the misconduct hearing in London, Robinson expressed remorse, but the panel decided his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and he was dismissed without notice.

The panel added: "In this case the officer's conduct could properly be seen as bullying and harassing to a member of the public."

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