A police officer facing an allegation that he described a female PC colleague's braided hair as 'looking like a mop' has told a misconduct hearing she is lying. PC Mohammed Abid said the complainant - a black African-born constable referred to as PC Y - had 'made up' claims that he often spoke about her hair.
Giving evidence, he said he had 'absolutely not' made the comment. "I didn't refer to her hair as a mop," he told the hearing on Friday.
Claims of racism
Opening the case on Monday, Counsel for GMP, Steven Reed, said PC Y wore her hair in braids and it was in braids at the time the comment at the centre of the complaint was made. Mr Reed said PC Abid denied making any comment towards her at all, the hearing was told, and claimed he had been the 'victim of racism'.
A group of Bury-based officers deny breaches of standards in relation to complaints made by the PC, including the mocking and mimicking of her African accent.
In evidence, PC Abid said he joined Greater Manchester Police in July 2020 having just turned 20. He said he signed up after the force hosted an open day at Manchester Metropolitan University, where he had been studying criminology.
No interaction
PC Abid said he was on different shifts to PC Y and had no interaction with her. He said they didn't have a close working relationship and no personal relationship. At the time PC Y says the comment was made, he said he hadn't seen her or even spoken to her.
PC Abid denied making comments about her hair 'generally', said he hadn't asked her whether it was 'real' or how long it took for her to braid. His lawyer, Peter Byrne, asked him: "Did you ever say that it looked like a mop?" He replied: "No."
"Did you say anything she could have misinterpreted," Mr Byrne asked. "No," replied PC Abid.
He was asked whether he would comment about the 'appearance of a female older than you'. "No, I wouldn't do that," he said. "I have got a wife, I have got sisters, I have got a mother. Since young I have been brought up to respect my elders, especially females. It would be massively frowned upon in my culture and not something I would do."
"I can't explain, or give reasons, why she has alleged what she has alleged. I can only give my evidence. My evidence is that unfortunately, she's not telling the truth."
Sergeant's evidence
Also on Friday, a police sergeant said he wasn't being racist or meant to offend when he compared a photograph of a fraud suspect to PC Y's mother. Sgt Adrian Bick, a married father who joined GMP after serving with the RAF, said he was shown the photo 'without context' by another officer, PC Demi Green, and said he initially thought it was a photo of PC Y.
Giving evidence on Friday, he said his role involved managing the welfare of officers as well as their workload. Sgt Bick described PC Y as pleasant and 'quite happy'. She didn't raise any concerns about any other officers, he added.
Recalling PC Green showing him the photo, he said: "She came over to me and she's just shown me a photograph. It was in relation to a crime she was carrying. It was something to do with a parcel being involved in a fraud."
"When I first saw the picture, I wasn't expecting it. I wasn't expecting Demi to come and approach me. I have caught it in the corner of my eye. For that initial second I saw it, I thought it was a picture of [PC Y]. When I have realised it was not a picture [of PC Y] I have gone to correct myself. That's what I have come and said - it's not her, this person looks older, like it could be her mum or something."
He said the first thing he noticed of the photo was 'thick-rimmed glasses' which he said PC Y wore everyday in work. "That's why I thought it was her to begin with," he said. He said the hairstyle was 'exactly the same' together with the build and ethnicity.
Asked whether he was intending to be derogatory about her in relation to her ethnicity, he said: "No absolutely not." He replied 'no absolutely not' when asked if he intended the comment to be racist. He said the comment didn't reflect his 'general nature' and how he interacted with colleagues. The 'whole conversation', he added, was about the progression of the crime and that he didn't expect PC Green to tell PC Y what he had said.
"Like I have said all throughout, I was gutted when I found out she was upset by the comment," he said. "I can only apologise. It was a reactionary comment to a picture being shown to me in my face. If she's been upset by that I am more than sorry."
He said PC Y 'never mentioned it at all'. "If she had made me aware of it I would have apologised straight away," he added.
Sgt Bick said he accepts a breach of authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct, but denies it was a breach of equality and diversity. Under questioning from Counsel for GMP, Steven Reed, he agreed it was an 'off the cuff comment made without thinking'. He said it wasn't racist and that he had no intention of making a racist comment, but admitted it could be 'perceived' to be racist.
"I thought it was an innocuous comment and I was very sorry that she was upset by it," he added, saying there was 'no laughing involved' and it was not a joke. "I don't go into work to upset people or to make people feel uncomfortable," he told the panel.
GMP claim the comment was 'unwanted, offensive, racist and disrespectful'. Five other officers and two former GMP officers are accused of mimicking and mocking PC Y's African accent, but deny breaches of standards of professional behaviour, misconduct or gross misconduct. All the officers were based at Bury police station at the time. The hearing continues.
