A police officer has been sacked after deliberately targeting the solicitor who represented his ex-wife in divorce proceedings.

PC Nathan Lawn pulled over the unnamed solicitor last October in Blofield, Norfolk, and issued a traffic offence report to her for failing to wear a seatbelt.

Policeman

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At the time, PC Lawn, who served with Norfolk Police, knew the driver was a solicitor who had represented his ex-wife during his divorce proceedings.

A misconduct hearing earlier this month heard the office deliberately targeted the solicitor when making the stop because of the role she played in his divorce. During the stop he was rude and confrontational towards her, the misconduct hearing was told. 

Following the stop, PC Lawn made a ‘concerted effort’ to seek to influence the outcome of the report, to ensure it resulted in a fine rather than a driver awareness course.

The hearing also heard that PC Lawn had made and sought to pursue an allegation of misconduct against his ex-wife, a health worker, to his MP Keith Simpson and to the Health and Care Professions Council.

His campaign included contacting senior staff at her employers on a number of occasions and amount to an ‘extended and committed campaign to discredit his ex-wife’. The hearing heard he made frequent reference to his status as a police officer to give credence to his allegations and/or to further his appeals to have the original outcome reviewed.

PC Lawn’s conduct was alleged to have breached the expected status of professional behaviour in the areas of discreditable conduct; authority, respect and courtesy; and duties and responsibilities.

He was found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour and dismissed without notice. He now has a right of appeal to a Police Appeals Tribunal.