A former Metropolitan Police officer hit a “vulnerable” 14-year-old girl, a misconduct panel concluded. 

PC Andrew Gatt was accused of "half choking" the child during an incident at her home on October 2, 2021. 

While attempting to seize her phone he was accused of pinning her down on the bed, holding her throat and punching her, a misconduct hearing was told. 

The girl said: “He used his left hand in the gap above the top of my phone and beneath my chin to push me back and this hand was touching my throat. 

“He was applying pressure, it was like he was half choking, half pinning me down whilst he pulled at my phone with the other hand…I then put my head down and bit his hand…..I bit him as hard as I could. 

“I just wanted to get him off my throat that’s why I bit him as hard as I could….I felt scared and suffocated.” 

PC Gatt refuted her claims. A misconduct report states: “In summary, [PC Gatt] accepts that he tried to seize Child E’s phone away from her, in the course of doing so, she bit his finger and in reflex, he pulled his hand away ‘his hand very probably did bang into the left side of the complainant’s face as he drew it hurriedly away from her teeth’.”  

The misconduct panel concluded: “The panel considered that although Child E’s account differs somewhat in respect of some of the specifics to that of others, the panel took a view of the whole incident and considered that there was no doubt that the officer used excessive and unnecessary force in his attempts to retrieve her phone.” 

They added: “In our view, it is unacceptable for police officers, who are responsible for enforcing the law, to break the law themselves. 

“The officer was loud, brash and used inappropriate language in front of Child E. Hitting a vulnerable 14-year-old girl cannot on any level be justified.” 

Had PC Gatt not already resigned he would have been dismissed, the misconduct panel decided. 

Ch Supt Sean Wilson said: “PC Gatt’s actions towards this young girl were entirely inappropriate and certainly not what we would expect when dealing with someone who may be vulnerable. 

“No police officer should use force inappropriately and the conclusion of the panel who wholly justified. Had he still been a serving police officer, he would have been dismissed.”