Police Officer Attacks Woman and Spared Jail.... Would It Have Been The Same For A Non-Officer?

"An off-duty police officer convicted of drunkenly assaulting a woman has been spared prison, sparking criticism from an MP that the “system fails women and protects men”.

PC Oliver Banfield, of West Midlands Police, put Emma Homer in a headlock and unleashed a tirade of “misogynistic” verbal abuse, Leicester Magistrates’ Court heard.

He admitted assault by beating in January, and on Friday was handed a curfew and told to pay £500 in compensation. He was initially allowed to continue working, but after the court case was suspended from his job pending gross misconduct proceedings." ~ The Independent

My mouth dropped open when I read that he put Ms Homer in a headlock... I have so many questions!

My very first question is, how on earth did a person who's job it is to maintain law and order, protect members of the public, prevent crime, reduce the fear of crime and improve the quality of life for all citizens basically get away with putting another, a WOMAN, in a headlock and verbally abusing her in the middle of the night? Yes some may argue that he has been punished with his curfew and the fine, but this sorry excuse of an officer was initially allowed to continue working!! Where is the justice in that? Will he have really learnt his lesson?

I wonder if this was an ordinary person, would they have gotten away so easily with this crime? I doubt that they would to be honest and I feel that they would have received a heftier non-custodial sentence or even a custodial sentence as punishment.

Poor Ms Homer will now most likely never trust the police force again, and to this list we may as well add the criminal justice system. Of course we don't know the full ins and outs of this case but there is CCTV footage circulating that evidences the attack.

In the recent light of Sarah Everard's murder, with Wayne Couzens (a police officer) having been charged with her murder, I think the police force should be harsher to their officers committing crime. Weeks before Couzens' arrest and charge, he was accused of indecent exposure at a McDonald's branch. It has been claimed that failed to act and arrest Couzens over the accusation on February 28 2021 in South London.

People serving in the police force should be treated harsher because they represent millions of officers in the country and although not all officers are like this and respect their duties, these minorities stain the true purpose of officers and disintegrate the trust of the public in them with every misconduct that is not dealt with appropriately and punctually.

Sharon Shumbambiri, @SharonAtTheBar

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