Police Sergeant Dismissed After Threatening Driving School Over Son's Failed Test
A police sergeant from Kent has been dismissed from the force following a sustained campaign of threats and abuse directed at a driving school after his son was unable to undertake a booked course. The officer's conduct, which included making dozens of daily calls and sending abusive emails, was found to amount to gross misconduct by a disciplinary panel.
Campaign of Abuse and Intimidation
Sergeant Gabriel Chandler, who had served with Kent Police since 2002, initiated the harassment against Intensives UK after his son failed to meet the prerequisites for starting an intensive driving course. The misconduct hearing, held in December 2025, revealed that Chandler paid £1,359 for the course in June 2021, with a non-refundable deposit included. When his son either failed or did not take the required theory test, preventing the course from commencing, Chandler demanded a full refund.
Despite being offered £1,122 in March 2022, which he refused, Chandler escalated his actions. From February to August 2022, he made between 30 and 50 calls per day to the driving school's office and its owner, Mark Elliot. He leveraged his position as a police officer to issue threats, mentioning potential jail time and raids on their homes and offices.
Abusive Communications and False Allegations
In a series of emails, Chandler falsely accused the company of being involved in serious criminal activities, including funding drugs, paedophilia, and child sexual exploitation. He claimed the business was operating a scam and urged them to shut down their "fraudulent sites." In one email dated 11 March, he wrote, "Detective Sergeant Gabriel Candler (sic) at your service. Please call me any time. You can look up criminals I've taken over the years on Kent online."
That same day, he sent another threatening message: "Do the right thing because once this starts I can't stop it. Your (sic) homes and offices will be raided. You will all face heavy custodial sentences. And in my experience fraudsters aren't built for prison. Your families they'll be ripped apart." Further emails in March included statements like, "Your (sic) a thief. I will will (sic) be on you relentlessly till I see you inside or you pay back my money," and, "Try and sleep. While you can. A storms (sic) heading your way."
Online Harassment and Panel Findings
Beyond direct communications, Chandler posted numerous malicious online reviews on business pages linked to Intensives UK, accusing them of fraud and describing staff as "organised criminals" connected to dark web activities. The misconduct panel found his behaviour to be "numerous, malicious and persistent," and concluded that he used his status as an officer to threaten and intimidate Elliot and the company.
During the hearing, Chandler defended his actions, stating he felt compelled to communicate aggressively to prevent the company from pushing him around, as he believed it had done to others. He argued that he was protecting the public, particularly vulnerable groups like pensioners and children, from what he perceived as fraudulent operations. However, the panel, describing him as an "experienced and intelligent" officer, did not accept this explanation.
Dismissal and Aftermath
The panel determined that dismissal without notice was the only appropriate sanction for his gross misconduct. The matter was reported to police by Mark Elliot in August 2022, prompting an investigation. In response, Chandler emailed Kent Police's professional standards department, alleging "malicious reports" from "criminals." Kent Police has been contacted for comment on the case, which highlights serious breaches of professional conduct within the force.
