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A senior police officer who advocated for tackling violence against women has been sacked for reportedly hitting two women while off duty.
A tribunal heard Inspector Tola Munro, who was based in south Bristol and is an ex-president of the National Black Police Association, dragged a woman to the floor before punching her in the face and then hitting another female.
A panel concluded on Wednesday that the officer’s behaviour in May last year constituted gross misconduct. He has been dismissed and placed on the barred list (banned from policing).
The incident was triggered by a conversation about Meghan Markle and race and one of the women’s cheek was left bruised, with the panel hearing the officer “completely lost control of himself”, the BBC reports.
He has denied the allegations made against him and insisted his behaviour amounted to self-defence.
The tribunal was told a witness was being intentionally confrontational and provoked Mr Munro when a discussion about race grew more tense and personal.
Jane Jones, who headed up a three-day police misconduct hearing, said there was a “terrible irony” to the incident, given the officer’s track record in safeguarding women and girls from violence, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Barrister Nick Walker, who was representing the recently sacked officer, said Mr Munro had “dedicated” his career to “advancing the cause of Black and minority ethnic officers locally and nationally”.
The lawyer said: “We invite you to step back from dismissal in this case. It related to off-duty conduct after considerable provocation.
“The public interest here is in the officer’s retention and not dismissal.”
Gwent Police conducted a criminal investigation into the incident and the case was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service, which decided there was insufficient evidence for a successful prosecution to be likely.
Mr Munro was suspended from serving as an officer while the criminal and misconduct investigations were being carried out.
Superintendent Mark Edgington, head of Avon and Somerset Police’s professional standards department, said: “Ultimately, there is no place in policing for an officer who is found to have assaulted any member of the public.
“Whether on or off duty, officers and staff must adhere to the standards expected of anyone serving in policing and Inspector Munro failed to do this.”
The victims cannot be named for legal reasons.
