An Isle of Wight Police officer who allegedly made an alarming phone call to a colleague, pretending to be a member of the public, is to face a misconduct hearing next week. PC Benjamin Magee is said to have breached the standards of professional behaviour by committing discreditable conduct. It is alleged that in December 2022, PC Magee made a phone call to another officer in which they pretended to be a member of the public as a ‘practical joke’. This resulted in the member of the public being arrested on suspicion of sending a malicious communication, taken into Police custody and their mobile phone seized as evidence. The innocent member of the public was released from custody 2-and-a-half hours after their arrest with no further action being taken after it was established they were not responsible for making the phone call. Island Echo understands that the phone call prompted safety concerns for the Police officer at the receiving end, who was taken to a safe location. Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary says that the telephone call allegedly made by PC Ben Magee fell below the standards required of police officers. It is assessed that this matter individually amounts to gross misconduct, namely a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour that, if proved, is so serious that this officer’s dismissal would be justified. A misconduct hearing will now be held at the Holiday Inn, Eastleigh between 26th – 28th February 2024. This week another misconduct hearing is being held against an Isle of Wight officer, PC Stuart Pearson, who is alleged to have used excessive force on a youth. Earlier this month, Island Echo also reported on an investigation into a local detective and Special Constable involved in a drunken incident in Cowes. Sergeant Simon Lythgoe was sacked in September last year for his ‘simply inexcusable’ force against 2 detainees in Newport custody suite. Island Echo is aware of a number of other officers who are currently under investigation for misconduct. UPDATE FRIDAY – Next week’s misconduct hearing has been adjourned, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has confirmed.
UPDATED: ISLE OF WIGHT COPPER WHO MADE ‘PRANK CALL’ TO COLLEAGUE FACING MISCONDUCT HEARING
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Need army training at point of joining. Standards gone west
Sack the idiot obviously.
Trust the police they say. Donna jones has got a lot of questions to answer
Not from what I am always reading on National News
Nowdays they employ anyone.
It is not the service it used to be.
recruit from the forces not university’s..go woke go broke
That makes little sense as someone out of forces has learnt to be less tolerant and more likely when faced with difficult member of public to act aggressive and undure force. In forces you learn to kill not give hugs.
Incorrect. A trained soldier knows exactly how much force is required to kill and can control the pressure applied accordingly. Police mainly learn on the job. A trained soldier is also disciplined and understands the importance of adhering to rules for the sake of his reputation and that of his colleagues. Indiscipline can cost lives. A stupid policeman who thinks pranking is appropriate could cost a colleague or member of the public their life in a tough situation.
Members of the armed forces can have a laugh but also know when to be serious, it would appear this police officer can’t work that out for himself. He would be a liability in any regiment.
PC Magee made a phone call to another officer in which they pretended to be a member of the public as a ‘practical joke’.
what do you mean “they” is there more than one Pc Magee
the name says benjamin – therefore the correct wording should be ” PC Magee made a phone call to another officer in which HE pretended to be a member of the public as a ‘practical joke
Everyone understands the working
Your presuming that the officer identifies as a Male. ‘They’ would be referring to them in a gender neutral way
Why has it taken so long to get this guy in front of a hearing ? Has he been suspended on full pay? More questions than answers and another ‘incident’ leading to lack of belief/trust in the Police.
Childish & unbelievable.
Immediate sacking, these persons should be responsible persons.
I say call the Feds, the UN and interpol. We can’t have police officers playing pranks at work. Jesus, this would have been hilarious apart from the fact an innocent person got detained unlawfully. In a way, that makes it even more hilarious, only that person wouldn’t be very amused. No doubt they’ll cop a few grand for the experience though so really, what’s the problem? A repremand would suffice.
Gotta have some workplace shenanigans, t’ other officer got to chill in a safe location for the day, no ‘arm done.
And your warrant number is?
Can we go back many years and have a Police Force to be proud of instead of the mistrust they now have earned for themselves.
This blatantly shows that standards and discipline have decreased in our Police Force. A Police Officer was once a figure of authority and a person who could be trusted. Now there are individuals who should ever have been given this job.
Seems to be a nationwide problem, not just in the Met!
Police are humans like all of us, not super human,just human. Those misconduct etc equate to around 2% of officers,where as criminals in public are around 3/4% more and many likely to offend many many time’s.
The member of public wrongly arrested can claim compensation, however to be in frame in first place very likely be in trouble all ready with the Court’s. This officer needs the sack,but don’t tar everyone the same, like every man is rapist or every youth a gang member etc.
Sack him, he has no place in police force as this resulted in the member of the public being arrested, I hope this person gets compensation.
C orrupt
O ppresive
P ersecution
S ervices
Whatever you all say in the discussion it was just plain bloody wrong! There’s ‘shannigans’ and downright stupidity! It involved the arrest of a member of the public and put another officer at risk where’s the funny side of that?
Like those officers talk g snapshots of dead teens as selfies, is that ok too? Its absolutely disgusting- in what world are they living in?!
All I read is sack him sack him sack him. Never mind all the years of good work PC Magee has done. See it for what it is, a practical joke that went wrong.
Snowflake society
Storm in a tea cup. An ill thought out joke backfired like lots of them do, but the guys got a sense of fun. It’s a way to relieve the stress of a bad day. You don’t expect a wooden top to be perfect do you.
All this fuss rather demonstrates his persecuters haven’t got a sense of fun, and what a waste of resources trying to make a mountain out of molehill.
Is it really in the public interest to spend all this time trying to punish and maybe loose a good copper (if he otherwise is) who has/had a misplaced sense of humours
He’s certainly not the only policeman with a warped sense of humour.
We are all to serious and PC ( no pun intended) today.
They’re holding it at ‘Holiday Inn’?!! Strange….
It is in Holiday Inn because police misconduct hearings are now in public. Go along if you want to see what happens. Should be humiliating.
Holiday Inn must be loving this influx of trade recently.