Abusing cop faces end of career

A cheating Met police officer who called his ex-girlfriend a ‘slag’ at a sergeant’s leaving do and threatened to knock out a colleague is facing the end of his career.

PC Daryl Marley, 31, and fellow officer Grace Shearman went out for 18 months before she ended the relationship.

They were both in Simmons cocktail bar in Soho for a colleague’s leaving drinks when the incident took place at around 9pm on 29 October last year.

PC Marley, attached to the Central West Command Unit, also threatened to punch fellow officer Tom Evans, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.

Giving evidence Ms Shearman said she met Marley at work and they were together from November 2020 until October 2022.

‘The relationship was a bit up and down. We broke up for a few months in the middle because I found out he was cheating on me.

‘It just wasn’t a great relationship to be honest.

‘It started off well and then it gradually got worse – he became quite controlling.’

She said they had lived together for six months during the relationship and it was a mutual decision to end it.

Ms Shearman said she had agreed with Marley before the event that they would keep apart at the party.

‘We’d recently broken up and the break up wasn’t great so I thought it was best we stay away from each other.

She said on the night Marley looked angry.

‘At one point I looked over and he was staring directly at me.’

She said Marley then came up close to her and said ‘I’ve always known you were a f—–ing slag’.

She said his demeanour was ‘intimidating and angry’.

‘I didn’t reply – I was just shocked that he said it.

‘I was embarrassed – especially him saying it in front of my colleagues from work.’

She said as she walked towards the toilets Marley ‘got quite close’ to her so Mr Evans stepped between them.

Marley then told Mr Evans he was going to hit him with his fists clenched, she said.

‘A few people grabbed Daryl from behind and tried to calm him down and pull him away from Tom.’

Asked how the incident made her feel, she said: ’It was embarrassing that this was in front of so many colleagues from work and it made me worried about what else he might do if he could do that in front of a lot of people.’

Giving evidence Mr Evans said Marley walked past Ms Shearman, grabbed her upper arm and said ‘I can see you’re being a little f—–ing slag.’

He said Marley then walked off and Ms Shearman asked her group of colleagues if they had heard what he had said.

Mr Evans said Marley then threatened to punch him and knock him out, he said.

He said others intervened and held Marley back before security asked him to leave.

‘People were holding him by the doorway, preventing him in case he was going to do something.

‘The defendant then left the venue, I believe he was asked to leave by security. We’ve waited inside just until he’s left the venue to avoid any escalation.’

Giving evidence Marley denied staring at Ms Sherman but admitted he had drunk seven pints of lager and some cocktails.

He said he did not threaten Mr Evans but told him ‘go and sleep in your car you p-—-k’ in reference to a claim he had to sleep in his vehicle for a week after a row with a partner.

Prosecutor Arfan Ahmed claimed Marley ‘squared up’ to Mr Evans and told him ‘I’ll knock you out you c—t.’

Marley replied: ‘I never threatened him.’

He said he is now in a new relationship and is expecting a baby in February.

Marley said he is proud to be a police officer.

He added: ‘I was a bit upset – I probably had a bit too much to drink. I remember seeing her and saying something like ‘I’m glad you’re having a good night you f—-king slag’.

‘I’m truly sorry I said this to Grace and I would wish to apologise for my conduct towards her on that evening which I know was inappropriate and unacceptable.

‘I was just a bit upset seeing her and reacted to her presence in this way.’

He said he did not want to cause her any distress.

District judge Andrew King dismissed the charge against Marley of using threatening, abusive, insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress at the end of the prosecution case.

But the judge found Marley guilty of common assault in relation to his threat to knock out Mr
Evans.

Marley was found guilty of common assault and ordered to pay a £1,000 fine.

The said: ‘I found Mr Evans to be a credible, reliable and honest witness – I do not consider he was embellishing or fabricating what was said.

‘The same goes for Ms Shearman – even taking into account the animosity between you I don’t think that detracts from the quality of her evidence.

‘I’m satisfied the incident took place in the way in which Mr Evans gave evidence- that you were angry, annoyed, aggressive and approached Mr Evans and that you threatened to hit him in the way that he described.’

Marley was fined £200, ordered to pay £300 in prosecution costs and a £500 victim surcharge, making a total of £1,000.

Judge King added: ‘I’m told you will lose your job and that is a significant punishment I accept but those acting in the public service are rightly held to a higher standard of behaviour on or off duty.’

PC Marley, of Milton Keynes, Bucks, denied but was convicted of common assault.