Officers to face petrol bomb misconduct hearing

Five police officers are facing a misconduct hearing after petrol bombs were allegedly removed from storage at a training facility and launched, causing more than £10,000 worth of damage.

The alleged incident happened at the Met Police's specialist training facility in Gravesend, Kent, at some point between 17 and 18 March 2022.

Former PC James Duthoit is alleged to have thrown the petrol bombs. His eight-day misconduct hearing begins on 6 May.

Former PC Jason Pippin, PC Jonathan Gooch, PC Mark Ellison and an unnamed PC are alleged to have intentionally left out details about the incident or knowingly given misleading statements. They will feature in the same hearing as Mr Duthoit.

The facility is used to train officers for hostile situations and features a mock-up stadium, aeroplane fuselage, train carriage, classrooms, residential areas and even a London Underground station.

It also has accommodation for more than 300 police students.

If the allegations against the PCs and former PCs are proven, their actions would amount to gross misconduct, according to the Met.

The force said the misconduct would breach the standards of professional behaviour so severely that the serving officers would be dismissed.

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