AN Essex Police officer has been dismissed from the force after a panel found he had committed gross misconduct. 

Now former Sgt Tyler Coppin was convicted of a public order offence in Liverpool in December and ordered to pay a total of £645 in fines and costs.

He was also given a three-year football banning order as part of his sentence. The incident took place during a Liverpool football game against Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday 20 October. 

The incident was witnessed by Liverpool stewards and ex-Sgt Coppin was ejected from the stadium and arrested. 

He appeared at South Sefton Magistrates court on Friday 13 December and pleaded guilty to an offence under S5 of the Public Order Act – behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.  

As a result of the conviction, misconduct proceedings were instigated and a panel chaired by Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington met on Friday 7 February. 

The panel heard strong representations from ex-Sgt Coppin throughout the hearing. 

It was found that ex-Sgt Coppin had breached standards of professional behaviour in relation to honesty and integrity, authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct. 

Mr Harrington acknowledged both his remorse and a previously unblemished career in policing but found ex-Sgt Coppin would be dismissed from the force without notice and will be placed the College of Policing barred list. 

Chief Constable Harrington said: "Ex-Sgt Coppin's dismissal is the result of a moment's serious stupidity, but this is the only appropriate outcome. 

"It is clear that ex-Sgt Coppin was remorseful and may not have been aware of the impact of his words, but he has been criminally convicted of a public order offence.  

"His actions will seriously undermine public trust and confidence and I must send a clear message to officers, staff and the wider public that behaviour such as this cannot and will not be tolerated in policing. 

"If officers are responsible for upholding the law, it cannot be right that they break it."