Man Hastening for Bus Wrongly Identified as Fugitive
In a perplexing turn of events, a police officer maneuvered his vehicle toward an unsuspecting individual who was dashing to catch a bus, mistakenly thinking the man was a suspect on the run. In reality, the man had just helped restrain an alleged bicycle thief and was rushing back to the bus to gather his belongings.
PC Robert Teear Steers Patrol Car in Michael Hesketh’s Path
Dramatically, PC Robert Teear steered his patrol car across the white markings, homing in on Michael Hesketh as he sprinted towards the bus. Hesketh, a builder by trade, had exited the bus to assist in subduing a purported bicycle thief engaged in a scuffle near the Ferry Rigg Inn, situated off the A259 Brighton Road in Shoreham. The bus’s CCTV footage captured Hesketh running diagonally across the thoroughfare just as the police vehicle changed lanes.
This unsettling episode transpired on April 9, 2020, amid the first national COVID lockdown, resulting in Hesketh, now 43, needing knee replacement surgery. Acquitted of dangerous driving charges by a Hove Crown Court jury in November 2021, Teear faced a police disciplinary panel that subsequently determined his actions constituted misconduct.
Concerns of COVID Infection and Insurance Claims
Hesketh, currently seeking an insurance claim against the police force, opted against seeking medical treatment after the incident due to concerns of contracting COVID at the hospital. He asserted that he was unaware of the approaching police car, his attention solely on retrieving his possessions from the bus.
Teear, no longer serving as a police officer, informed the disciplinary panel that the early lockdown days were relatively uneventful. To mitigate infection risks, Sussex Police had decided to deploy single-crew vehicles, leaving Teear alone when he reached the scene where his partner had already apprehended a suspect.
Believing Hesketh’s behavior to be peculiar as he darted across the road, Teear assumed he was a suspect attempting to flee. He confessed to braking forcefully from 30mph while approaching Hesketh but maintained that he didn’t feel any collision and believed he had halted before making contact.
Retirement and Disciplinary Outcomes
The 30-year-old former officer retired from Sussex Police due to long COVID complications, rendering him medically unfit for duty. Although he was acquitted after a five-day trial in Hove, the panel could not enforce any sanctions since he had already left the force.
Detective Chief Inspector Jon Robeson of the Sussex Police Professional Standards Department underscored the expectation of integrity and professionalism from officers. He conceded that the officer’s actions in this case did not meet the requisite standards and reiterated the commitment to holding officers and staff accountable.
Lessons Learned and Future Implications
The Shoreham incident serves as a reminder of the importance of accurate assessments and measured responses in law enforcement situations. It highlights the potential consequences of misinterpreting actions and the need for continuous training to improve decision-making under pressure.
The Sussex Police Department, in light of this case, will likely review their protocols and training procedures to better equip officers with the skills and knowledge necessary to handle similar situations in the future. This effort will not only minimize the chances of similar incidents occurring but also serve to maintain the public’s trust in the police force’s ability to protect and serve.
Ultimately, the experience endured by both Hesketh and Teear serves as a cautionary tale for law enforcement officers and the general public alike, emphasizing the significance of clear communication, heightened situational awareness, and the need for empathy and understanding in our rapidly evolving world.
