Serving officer dismissed following misconduct hearing

A serving officer has been dismissed without notice for sending highly offensive racist and misogynistic messages to a woman.

A misconduct hearing concluded on Wednesday, 28 February and found that the behaviour of PC David Seager, attached to the policing team in south east London, amounted to gross misconduct.

Between February and December 2020 PC Seager sent the woman, who he knew, a series of appalling messages in which he made violent sexual threats.

The messages were sent while he was off-duty.

Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry, lead for policing in the area said: "The messages PC Seager sent were grossly offensive and upsetting. I cannot imagine the level of distress and harm they caused to the woman. The fact they were sent to her by a police officer is sickening.

"PC Seager has been rightly dismissed. The Commissioner has been clear that we remove anyone from the organisation who falls below the high standards we must uphold."

A misconduct investigation was launched by the Directorate of Professional Standards in October 2021 and the following month Seager was suspended from duty.

The hearing found he breached the standards of professional behaviour in respect of authority, respect and courtesy, equality and diversity, and discreditable conduct.

PC Seager will be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.