Immigration and Customs Enforcement blames a mother it deported for her two-year-old son’s brutal death months later, even though she says she pleaded to be reunited with the boy as she was being sent back to Honduras.
Orlín Josué Hernandez Reyes, 2, died in Escambia County, Florida, in March, while in the care of his uncle, after the boy’s mother, Wendy Hernandez Reyes, was deported in January.
Officials say the child’s body showed multiple broken ribs, a transected pancreas, multiple burns, and evidence of possible sexual abuse.
After the child’s death and his uncle’s arrest on murder allegations, ICE claimed in a March press release that Reyes “abandoned” the two-year-old and “chose to leave her son here with a violent murderer who took his life.”
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“How could I abandon my son, if my son was the love of my life?” Wendy Hernandez Reyes told The Washington Post. “I did everything with my son. I am not a bad mother who left my child with a killer.”
ICE blames a mother it deported for her two-year-old son’s alleged murder months later, even though she says she pleaded to be reunited with the boy before she was sent back to Honduras (GoFundMe)
The Independent has contacted ICE for comment.
Wendy Hernandez Reyes and her sister were in a car that was pulled over in early January in Alabama as she headed to her job laying concrete foundations.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, one of many that cooperate with federal immigration authorities under the 287(g) program, then handed her off to ICE, who detained her in Louisiana. A judge had previously ordered Reyes, an asylum-seeker who came to the U.S. in 2022, deported after she missed a hearing.
Throughout the process of her detention, Hernandez told the Post, she requested to be reunited with her son.
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“I told them to help me with my boy,” Hernandez said. “I needed him.”
Samuel Maldonado Erazo was arrested in March and charged with murder for the death of Orlín Josué Hernandez Reyes (ICE)
The Independent has contacted the sheriff’s office for comment.
She was deported less than a month after her arrest.
While Reyes was in detention in Louisiana, she left her son in the care of her brother-in-law Samuel Maldonado Erazo.
Maldonado Erazo is a heavy drinker and hit his own children with cords and wires, his daughter later testified.
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Orlín Josué Hernandez Reyes died in March, and his body showed signs of severe injury and abuse, according to police (GoFundMe)
In March, Maldonado Erazo called 911, saying that two-year-old Orlín had collapsed.
Authorities were skeptical of the story, given the nature of the two-year-old’s injuries.
Orlín had a swollen stomach and testicles suggesting he had been “stomped on,” medical examiner Deanna Oleske told police, according to court records obtained by the Post.
“Absolutely no toddler has ‘normal’ injuries like bruising to the back of the hand/knuckles from doing toddler stuff,” she said.
Under President Trump, federal immigration agents have stepped up cooperation with local police departments and pursued arrests of non-criminals deemed low priorities under past administrations (Reuters)
Maldonado Erazo was indicted on charges including murder in late March and has pleaded not guilty.
The Independent has contacted the Escambia County public defender’s office, which is representing him, for comment.
Community members are raising funds to send Orlín’s remains to Honduras (AFP/Getty)
Community advocates are raising funds on GoFundMe for Orlín’s remains to be returned to Honduras.
Reyes claims she was deported without her passport, frustrating efforts to transfer the body.
Grace Resendez McCaffery, a Florida-based activist and owner of bilingual news site Latino Media Gulf Coast, has helped raise more than $15,000 for the effort. She told the Pensacola News Journal in March that she was aware of six children left behind in a single week after their parents were deported.
“I think we use the term separating families lightly because it’s become a common phrase,” McCaffery said, “but this is the reality of what it’s like for a child to lose their parents, and in this case, be left in the hands of a monster. They’re so vulnerable and it just doesn’t have to be this way.”
A 13-year-old has been charged in connection with an alleged ‘possession of a weapon’.
A youth allegedly ‘armed with a weapon’ was involved in a ‘disturbance’ at Almondvale Retail Park. Concerned locals shared how a fracas had unfolded inside the Morrisons store in Livingston.
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Officers were called to a report of an incident at 4.40pm on Friday, May 15. Three males, aged 21, 16 and 13, were all arrested in connection with the incident and the 16-year-old was released without charge.
A 13-year-old was charged in connection with an alleged ‘possession of a weapon’ and has been referred to the Children’s Reporter.
The 21-year-old man has been charged with alleged ‘threatening and abusive’ behaviour. He is due to appear in court in the capital on Monday, May 18.
A Police Scotland spokesperson told Edinburgh Live: “Around 4.40pm on Friday, 15 May 2026, police received a report of a disturbance involving youths, armed with weapons, in Almondvale Retail Park, Livingston. Officers attended and three males, aged 21, 16 and 13, were arrested in connection with the incident.
“The 21-year-old man has been charged in connection with threatening and abusive behaviour. He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 18 May, 2026.
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“The 13-year-old has been charged in connection with possession of a weapon and referred to the Children’s Reporter. The 16-year-old male was released without charge.”
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People who camped outside Swatch stores ahead of a new watch were forced to walk away empty-handed after mobs tried to push through.
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The Swiss firm said they would not open its branches in London and other cities in light of safety considerations for both our customers and our staff’.
People queued overnight to purchase the brand’s new ‘Royal Pop’ pocket watch collaboration with luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet, which is priced from £335. It has been resold online for up to £16,000.
Thousands gathered across London stores, including in Battersea Power Station, Westfield Shepherds Bush and Oxford Street.
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But crowds soon became ‘mob-like’, with police called to assist security as Swatch ultimately decided not to open their doors.
Crowds of people outside the Swatch store (Picture: Provided by Tyler to Metro)
Tyler, 20, arrived at Battersea Power Station at 7pm last night. He had travelled up from Canterbury and waited a number of hours in the queue before he was ordered outside.
He told Metro: ‘It got late and they told us we couldn’t stay in the building, so everyone went to camp on the deck chairs outside.
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‘Once it got to midnight, people became a bit more mob-like and it just went into absolute chaos. Everyone started standing up and moving towards the entrances.’
Security opened the doors again at 7am, but rather than form a queue back in footage shows people sprinting towards the small section of queue which was allowed to wait inside overnight.
Tyler said: ‘People were tripping over rushing in, there was no control over the situation. Lots of people were rushing in from different entrances.
Police at the scene in Battersea Power Station (Picture: Provided by Tyler to Metro)
‘It got settled again but it only took one guy to start pushing and shouting towards the doors, and lots of other people started. That was when police arrived.’
Footage shows police dogs at the scene in Battersea Power Station, barking at people to push the crowd back away from the doors.
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And in Westfield police were also telling the crowd to move back as the store would not be opening, with the queue stretching around escalators all the way to the food court.
After hearing the announcement no one will get a watch, Tyler said he ‘wasn’t surprised but gutted’ because it was obvious from the start the crowd was too dangerous to open the shop.
‘But I feel bad for the guy at the front who apparently camped out for four or five days,’ he said.
A spokesperson from Battersea Power Station, said: ‘Like all Swatch stores across the UK, we experienced unprecedented demand for the launch of the Audemars Piquet x Swatch collection.
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‘To ensure the safety of our visitors, the decision was made to close the Battersea Power Station store in line with other closures across the country. The safety of our visitors remains our utmost priority, and we are reviewing security procedures with Swatch.’
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“Taiwan will continue to deepen co-operation with the US to achieve peace through strength, ensuring that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are not threatened or undermined, which serves the common interests of Taiwan, the US, and the global democratic community.”
Police launched a massive operation with drones, horses and helicopters, as thousands gathered in London for the Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom march and the annual pro-Palestine Nakba Day rally
17:53, 16 May 2026Updated 17:54, 16 May 2026
At least 4,000 police officers were called in to stop violence and hate speech on the streets of central London today, as two rival marches took place, resulting in at least 31 arrests.
The mammoth security operation, described as “unprecedented” in recent years, cost a staggering £4.5million and included more than 600 cops brought in from around the country to keep Tommy Robinson supporters and Nakba Day marchers apart. Specialist armed officers, large numbers of officers equipped with riot gear, including helmets and batons, along with police horses and dogs were all on standby to prevent major disorder.
At 4.30pm, a Met Police spokesperson said: “There have so far been 31 arrests across the whole operation. We will provide a more detailed breakdown at the conclusion. While this may seem high, to this point both protests have proceeded largely without significant incident.”
They included one man arrested in connection with an incident in Birmingham where a man was run over and another wanted for a separate offence which involved encouraging people to attack a police officer. Armoured vehicles, not seen on the capital’s streets for 15 years, were on standby and police used live facial recognition technology for the first time while policing a protest.
Helicopters and drones also watched from the skies as an estimated crowd of up to 50,000 Unite the Kingdom protesters and up to 30,000 pro-Palestine supporters gathered. In a repeat of a similar event last September, protesters were heard singing songs in support of Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, and derogatory ones about Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
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But the number of people at the Robinson rally, dubbed a freedom of speech, national unity and Christian event, were far lower than the estimated 110,000 at the previous event. It came after police announced they would be taking a zero-tolerance approach to hate speech and 11 foreign far-right speakers booked by anti-Islam activist Robinson were blocked from entering Britain after the government ruled their attendance “would not be conducive to the public good”.
Robinson and a number of speakers, including actor Laurence Fox, were seen drinking at the Prince of Wales pub in Drury Lane ahead of the march. Robinson was surrounded by a phalanx of burly security guards while leaving the pub before being mobbed by supporters as he made his way onto the Strand.
One was heard remarking in surprise at how “tiny” Robinson looked in person, before a fellow supporter assured the man the campaigner’s height didn’t matter. He later led protesters in chants of support for Elon Musk from a stage in Parliament Square.
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Many protesters wore ‘Make Britain Great Again’ caps and waved Israel, Union Jack and St George’s flags, including some emblazoned with the message ‘Stop the Boats’. One woman, who was wearing a Union Jack bikini top and a cowboy hat, held a homemade sign with the message “Get them out”, while others were seen wearing t-shirts with a range of anti-migrant slogans, including ‘Stop importing, start deporting’.
In Trafalgar Square, a man using a microphone and speaker system was heard making a number of offensive and inflammatory statements about Muslims and the prophet Muhammad, as some marchers laughed. Large numbers of men, including many walking while carrying cans and bottles of beer, were among the marchers, but there were also many women, as well as families.
A woman wearing a burqa unintentionally found herself in the middle of the crowds as the main march passed by Nelson’s Column. A lone female protester approached her and praised her bravery for attending the event. She was heard assuring her “we don’t hate you” before going on to explain to her that she is just against children being raped by gangs of men. Before going their separate ways, the protester asked the woman for a hug and they embraced.
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Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was among marchers at the Nakba Day protest, held annually to mark the mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948 around the founding of Israel. Labour MP Apsana Begum told pro-Palestine protesters gathered in Pall Mall that the movement will not be divided by the “far right”.
Speaking to demonstrators at the rally, Ms Begum said: “We know that the far right marches because our solidarity with the Palestinian people threatens their cause… the one which is based on intolerance, hatred, and division. But today, we march, Muslims, Jews, Christians, people of all faiths and none, from all ages, from all ethnic backgrounds, bound by our shared humanity and our just purpose. We will not be divided by the far right.”
Speaking ahead of the protests, Keir Starmer declared: “We’re in a fight for the soul of this country, and the Unite the Kingdom march this weekend is a stark reminder of exactly what we are up against. Its organisers are peddling hatred and division, plain and simple. We will block those coming into the UK who seek to incite hatred and violence. For anyone who sets out to wreak havoc on our streets, to intimidate or threaten anyone, you can expect to face the full force of the law”.
Police had also warned they would not tolerate hate speech at either event and protesters committing anti-Muslim hatred or chanting anti-Israel slogans such as “Death to the IDF” or “Globalise the Intifada” would face arrest. And the Crown Prosecution Service warned that new guidance had been put in place for prosecutors to advise on the use of offensive banners, slogans, chants, or symbols.
They also added lawyers would be working with police to ensure anyone found to have engaged in criminal activity would face swift charging decisions. The crackdown followed anti-Jewish attacks in London and the raising of the terror threat level to severe, as well as last September’s Unite The Kingdom event, which saw drunken far-right thugs bring chaos to the capital in repeated clashes with police.
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Bottles, flares and projectiles – as well as kicks and punches – were aimed at officers trying to keep the peace and at one point a glass bottle was smashed against a horse. Officers also drew batons while trying to push back protesters in Whitehall and Trafalgar Square.
Everything you need to know about the 70th Eurovision Song Contest grand final.
Happy Eurovision day to those celebrating. If you’re like many fans, you’ve been counting down the months until the grand final, ready to retrieve your Eurovision scorecards for another evening of flamboyant performances.
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Vienna is hosting this year’s contest after Austria’s representative, JJ , triumphed in Basel, Switzerland in 2025. Following this week’s semi-final rounds, the complete line-up of 20 acts has been confirmed to compete alongside The Big Four and the host nation in tonight’s final. All that remains is to brace yourself for the marathon evening ahead.
Here’s your essential guide to the world’s largest singing competition and you can follow it live with us here. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter
How to watch
The 2026 Eurovision will be transmitted live from Vienna on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with Graham Norton returning to provide his characteristically sarcastic commentary.
Be warned: the programme commences at 8pm and continues until 11.50pm.
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That’s a almost four hours of theatrical performances and potential technical hitches. Ensure you’ve stocked up on refreshments and gathered good company, because you’re facing an exceptionally lengthy evening.
Hosts
This evening, viewers will be introduced to a fresh presenting team, alongside some recognisable personalities. BBC viewers will be treated to commentary from national treasure Graham Norton, who will guide audiences through the evening’s proceedings.
The beloved presenter is expected to deliver his trademark humorous observations about the performers while paying tribute to the late Terry Wogan, the former Eurovision host.
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With Austria hosting this year’s contest, the main presenters will be Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski live from Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle.
Programme director of the Austrian national broadcaster ORF, Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz said in a statement at the time of announcing: “Our goal is to thrill an international audience from all over the world with a sensational TV experience.
“We developed a concept and then searched for the right hosts – and we found them! Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski are an exciting and unique pair. Both with great passion for the Contest and two excellent ambassadors for the cause, who will be remembered for a long time with their performance.”
Victoria Swarovski is a 32-year-old Austrian singer, model and television presenter, who also happens to be heiress to the jewellery brand Swarovski (on her dad’s side).
In 2016, she joined the judging panel of Das Supertalent, an international version of Britain’s Got Talent. That same year, she triumphed in Let’s Dance alongside her dance partner Erich Klann. Two years following her victory, in 2018, Victoria succeeded Sylvie Meis as co-host of Let’s Dance.
Michael Ostrowski is a 53-year-old Austrian actor and screenwriter, best recognised for his role in the 2004 comedy-drama Nacktschnecken (or in English, Slugs).
He has featured in more than 40 films since 2002, with other credits including Dark Rivers, The Hawk and Contact High.
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Voting
New for 2026, the BBC have shared that voting for Eurovision in the UK is going online only.
This means that viewers can vote for their favourite act through the dedicated app, which is available on iOS, Android or Windows devices. Voting via the app could also earn you a special personal message from your chosen act.
Tonight, you can cast up to 10 votes for your favourite countries. You can use these votes on one country or 10 different countries, the choice is entirely up to you.
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Each vote costs 15p, and you will be asked for your bank details to successfully register to vote. This means that if you decide to use all 10 votes, it will cost you a total of £1.50.
Following rule changes introduced in 2024, voting at the Grand Final will now open just before the first song begins. It will remain open throughout the evening and then up to 40 minutes after the final song is performed.
However, in the interests of fairness, voting for your own country is strictly prohibited.
This means UK viewers cannot vote for the British entry, Look Mum No Computer, regardless of how much they enjoy his song, Eins, Zwei, Drei.
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Full running order and song list
1. Denmark: Søren Torpegaard Lund – Før Vi Går Hjem
2. Germany: Sarah Engels – Fire
3. Israel: Noam Bettan – Michelle
4. Belgium: ESSYLA – Dancing on the Ice
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5. Albania: Alis – Nân
6. Greece: Akylas – Ferto
7. Ukraine: LELÉKA – Ridnym
8. Australia: Delta Goodrem – Eclipse
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9. Serbia: LAVINA – Kraj Mene
10. Malta: AIDAN – Bella
11. Czechia: Daniel Zizka – CROSSROADS
12. Bulgaria: DARA – Bangaranga
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13. Croatia: LELEK – Andromeda
14. United Kingdom: LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER – Eins, Zwei, Drei
15. France: Monroe – Regarde !
16. Moldova: Satoshi – Viva, Moldova!
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17. Finland: Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen – Liekinheitin
18. Poland: ALICJA – Pray
19. Lithuania: Lion Ceccah – Sólo Quiero Más
20. Sweden: FELICIA – My System
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21. Cyprus: Antigoni – JALLA
22. Italy: Sal Da Vinci – Per Sempre Sì
23. Norway: JONAS LOVV – YA YA YA
24. Romania: Alexandra Căpitănescu – Choke Me
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25. Austria: COSMÓ – Tanzschein
You can watch the Eurovision Song Contest live from Vienna on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 8pm.
At the start of the season, with Rodgers seemingly imperious, the notion that the septuagenarian was going to return to Parkhead not just once but twice, and steer home a troubled club, would have been outlandish.
Truth, sometimes, is stranger than fiction.
And Celtic’s truth has been wild. O’Neill has ensured a happy ending, but so much of what went before was angry and divisive. Hostility reigned supreme until an uneasy truce towards the end of the season.
It all kicked off with that Champions League exit at the hands of Kairat Almaty. Two games, zero goals and a transfer window that enraged the supporters. Celtic won four games out of 12 in Europe.
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The summer arrivals: Kieran Tierney, Isaac English, Ross Doohan, Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand, Hayato Inamura, Shin Yamada, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Marcelo Saracchi, Sebastien Tounekti and Kelechi Iheanacho.
Only five of those made it into double figures in league appearances. Others rarely, if ever, featured.
Rodgers said a few of them were “club signings”, the inference being that they weren’t his choices. His rhetoric caused ructions behind the scenes. It would spill out in public soon enough.
Rodgers, agitated and agitating about the business done in the market, infamously likened his squad to a Honda Civic rather than the Ferrari he wanted to drive. In October, Celtic lost 2-0 to Dundee and 3-1 to Hearts and he resigned.
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On his way out he received a verbal blast, the like of which has never been seen before in Scottish football. Dermot Desmond, the major shareholder, issued a statement that filleted Rodgers in the most brutal way.
The former manager had been “divisive, misleading, and self-serving”, said Desmond. He had “contributed to a toxic atmosphere and fuelled hostility towards members of the executive team and the board. Some of the abuse directed at them, and at their families, has been entirely unwarranted and unacceptable”.
LAUREL, Md. (AP) — A quieter Preakness Day is underway at Laurel Park.
Previously a somewhat rowdy event with throngs of fans and live music on the infield, the second race of the Triple Crown is being contested in a more subdued atmosphere this year at Laurel. That’s because Pimlico in Baltimore is being rebuilt.
Laurel has a rich horse racing history, but its future is in doubt — it may be converted into a training facility. Attendance for Saturday’s race has been capped at 4,800.
There’s no possibility of a Triple Crown this year because Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo isn’t running in the Preakness. Instead the morning-line favorite was Iron Honor at 9-2.
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The race appears to be wide open, with Taj Mahal (5-1), Chip Honcho (5-1), Incredibolt (5-1) and Ocelli (6-1) also among the top picks in the 14-horse field. Ocelli finished third in the Derby as a 70-1 long shot, and Incredibolt was sixth. Robusta was 14th in the Derby and is a 30-1 shot in the Preakness.
Great White is a 15-1 shot after being scratched moments before the start of the Derby.
Taj Mahal, with trainer Brittany Russell, is a bit of a hometown favorite. He’s won all three of his races, and all were at Laurel.
The Preakness is set to air on NBC and Peacock, with post time scheduled for 7:01 p.m. EDT.
Antoine Semenyo’s brilliantly-improvised backheel is enough to give Manchester City a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup final, as Pep Guardiola’s side complete a domestic cup double at Wembley.
‘It is unacceptable for police officers, who are responsible for enforcing the law, to break the law themselves’
A Greater Manchester Police officer with a criminal conviction has been sacked from the force.
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Constable James Morrow, who it’s believed was based on the Rochdale division, was convicted at Leeds Crown Court of assault by beating in September last year, GMP said. He was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge.
A misconduct hearing was held at GMP headquarters this week, with the resulting ruling now published on the force’s website.
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Chief Resources Officer, Lee Rawlinson, said Morrow accepted he was in breach of ‘discreditable conduct’ and that in turn, it amounted to ‘gross misconduct’.
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“PC Morrow’s actions and behaviour were entirely of his own choice,” said Mr Rawlinson in the ruling. “His conduct was intentional and deliberate.”
Mr Rawlinson said he acknowledged the incident – said to have happened in a Halifax nightclub while Morrow was off-duty – was ’emotionally charged due to the circumstances around the behaviour of his then girlfriend and his beliefs of the situation’.
No further details about it were published.
“PC Morrow’s conviction inevitably brings the profession of policing into disrepute and clearly has the potential to damage the trust that the public have a right to expect of their police service,” he added in the ruling. “His behaviour was contrary to the most clearly expressed instruction as to the standards required of a well conducted officer.
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“PC Morrow’s offending behaviour was simply unacceptable. It is unacceptable for police officers, who are responsible for enforcing the law, to break the law themselves.
“Offences of violence are particularly serious and involve a fundamental breach of the public’s trust in police officers and inevitably bring the profession into disrepute. This includes offences committed both on and off-duty. There are no exceptional circumstances in this case that apply to divert from the presumption of dismissal. I therefore dismiss PC Morrow with immediate effect.
“His conduct has carried very grave consequences for him and has led to the termination of his career. It is fair to note that this misconduct stems from a single episode. There is no other evidence to suggest this type of conduct is usual for former PC Morrow. In many respects, whilst the behaviour cannot be excused, that such consequences have flowed from a single incident indicates the care that police officers must take to ensure that their professional behaviour is always of an impeccable character.”
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His name will be added to the College of Policing’s ‘Barred List’, preventing him from working in policing again.
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