'I'll f**king have you': Cop abuses football steward in row over sticker on toilet sign

-Credit:Robert Alexander/Getty Images
-Credit:Robert Alexander/Getty Images


A London police officer will keep his job after telling a steward 'I'll f**king have you' at a football match. British Transport Police (BTP) Inspector Thomas Hooper, based in Bromley, was off-duty when he got into the spat at Oxford United v Exeter City in September 2023, arising out of his attempts to put a sticker depicting the opposition manager on a disabled toilet sign, a misconduct panel heard.

A female steward was concerned about the sign falling down, while Oxford United FC also consider stickering to be 'low-level criminal damage'. When she told Insp Hooper to 'get down', she was backed up by a male colleague who physically intervened when he was ignored. This is when Insp Hooper became abusive, telling the steward 'I’ll fucking see you outside' and 'I’ll fucking have you outside'.

When Insp Hooper was interviewed by a Football Officer, he said was lifted by two friends to put the sticker up when the steward pulled him down. He also referred to the stewards as 'knobheads' and argued 'f**k me it's minimal' when told stickering could be considered 'criminal damage'.

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In his response to misconduct proceedings, he argued stickering is common at football games and that the sticker of Exeter boss Gary Caldwell was 'in no way offensive'. He also claimed he did not hear calls to 'get down', and accused the steward who grabbed him of a 'very dangerous' and 'completely disproportionate' response.

Kassam Stadium, the home of Oxford United FC -Credit:Nigel Cox/Creative Commons
Kassam Stadium, the home of Oxford United FC -Credit:Nigel Cox/Creative Commons

While the panel ruled Insp Hooper did not hear the calls to get down, they said his account of being 'pulled down' was 'exaggerated and inconsistent' and that the steward had acted inappropriately. They also dismissed Insp Hooper's claim he was 'traumatised' by the incident, rather that he had 'deliberately and intentionally sought to inflame the situation'.

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"The Officer’s manner was throughout, hostile and belligerent and that he only became calm and measured when spoken to by other police officers from Devon and Cornwall Constabulary when he realized the possible consequences of his actions and behaviour on his role as a serving police officer," the panel added, finding all the allegations proven.

The panel found that public confidence was likely to be undermined by the act of stickering, and the abuse against the steward that followed. They also found this was aggravated by Insp Hooper's 'deliberate and sustained attempt to create trouble'.

Insp Hooper was found guilty of gross misconduct, but the panel fell short of sacking him due to the adverse effect of losing an experienced police officer from the police service. Instead, Insp Hooper received a final written warning of five years.

Got a tip, a court date, or some gossip? Please email callum.cuddeford@reachplc.com or WhatsApp 07580255582.

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