‘Unfairly sacked' police officer to fight dismissal
A decorated police officer who was sacked after arresting a teenage knifeman has said he will appeal against the decision.
Pc Lorne Castle, 46, was dismissed by Dorset Police last month for using a disproportionate amount of force during the arrest of a 15-year-old boy in in Bournemouth in January last year.
After tackling the masked 15-year-old suspect to the ground, he held him down and told him to 'stop screaming like a b----'.
Mr Castle, a father of three, has said he wants his 'name cleared' and feels he has been treated 'unfairly'.
The officer won a national bravery award after he saved an elderly woman from the River Avon in 2023, going against police regulations that dictated he should not enter the water.
Body camera footage of the arrest of the knifeman shows Mr Castle restraining the teenager. A double-edged, eight-inch knife was found in the teenager's possession, and can be seen falling out of his pocket.
The suspect was not injured during the arrest and was later detained for assault, receiving an out-of-court disposal for possession of the weapon.
The Dorset Police Federation has announced that Mr Castle will lodge a formal appeal, which could take over a year.
It said in a statement: 'Lorne continues to be overwhelmed by the many messages of support he has received from all sections of the community as well as from former and serving colleagues. He and his family have been extremely touched, and are very grateful to all those who have assisted them through this difficult time.'
A spokesman added that members were now questioning how much force they should use while making an arrest in light of Mr Castle's treatment.
He said he no longer felt comfortable in Bournemouth, where he has lived with his family for the past two decades, as a result of the publicity his case has received.
'I was sacked, left with no job, a family to look after and no job prospects,' he said. 'I want my name cleared. I feel that I have been treated really unfairly. I have been an exemplary officer for over 10 years.'
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