Police hit back at ‘unjust’ decision to sack award-winning officer over ‘lack of respect’ towards knife carrying teen
4 June 2025, 08:46 | Updated: 4 June 2025, 08:57
WARNING: Video contains strong language
Vid of award-winning police officer arresting a knife-carrying teenager
Police have hit back at the decision to sack an award-winning officer after he is said to have showed a "lack of respect" towards a knife-carrying teenager he was attempting to arrest.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Shocking footage emerged in the aftermath of PC Lorne Castle's sacking, with body cam footage showing him grabbing the 15-year-old boy—who was suspected of assault—and pushing him into a wall in Bournemouth.
The 46-year-old, who has twice won a national bravery award, then slammed the teenager to the ground and placed his hand over the boy’s face while shouting threats and curse words.
Now, the Dorset Police Federation, who represent bobbies on the beat, has hit back at the management decision, noting senior officers had "inexplicably" chosen to dismiss the officer "without also providing context or balance".
Describing the dismissal as "not fair or just", the federation also accused the force of releasing "selective clips" of the incident in a bid to reinforce their narrative, in a bid to "manage some of the public criticism".
PC Castle’s actions during the arrest led to his subsequent dismissal. However, the force is now facing a backlash after it emerged the teenager was suspected of assaulting two people, including an elderly gentleman.
Read more: Keir Starmer handed five-week reprieve as Trump pauses 50% steel tariffs on UK
"The force has inexplicably chosen to do this without also providing context or balance and in the full knowledge that an appeal by the officer may be pending," Dorset Police Federation wrote in a statement on Wednesday.
"The reason for the release appears primarily to be an attempt by Dorset Police to manage some of the public criticism the force has received following the decision to dismiss the officer, rather than a genuine desire to properly inform the public."
The footage, released by the force, shows a section of the teenager's arrest, with a Stanley-type knife falling out of the teenager’s waistband.
In response to the criticism, Dorset Police released the full bodycam footage of the incident, captured by PC Castle’s partner, to allow the public to draw their own conclusions.
"We are extremely concerned about the implications of the outcome of this case to other hard-working front-line officers who in difficult, dynamic and dangerous situations have to use force to protect themselves and the public," the federation's statement continued.
"The clip released by Dorset Police fails to show the double-bladed knife which falls from the clothing of the suspect at the end of the arrest and that potentially could have been used to inflict serious harm on the officer, the officers’ colleagues or a random member of the public.
"It fails to mention the context that - in an early morning briefing – the officer was warned to be extra cautious due to a mass brawl in the town centre just two nights before, a brawl involving youths with machetes and knives, some of the offenders for which were still outstanding.
"It is also relevant that many aspects of the arrest and the force used by the officer were deemed to have been justified, proportionate and reasonable by the independent panel.
"Over the last few years, the residents of Bournemouth will have been alarmed by the number of tragic, fatal incidents involving knives and senior commanders in Dorset Police have rightly encouraged officers to be robust in attempting to deal with it.
"Officers would rather have to use no force at all but unfortunately the risks to officers up and down the country when dealing with potentially violent suspects are real and ever present.
Dorset Police Federation go on to highlight that they have "never suggested that the actions of Lorne Castle were without fault - and the officer admitted misconduct in relation to breaching the standards of professional behaviour relating to Authority, Respect and Courtesy, Conduct and Use of Force."
"But to conclude, our view is that the showing of selective clips of an officer’s Body Worn Video is not a useful or responsible to way to properly inform the public about an incident - and only serves to entice the public into making judgements without having the benefit of all the facts.
"This is not fair or just."
In the video, PC Castle can be seen pushing the teenager to the ground before shouting: “Get on the ground. Get down. Get down. Show me your fing hands, now. Put your fing hands behind your [back].”
The distressed youth screams, “I can’t,” while the officer remains on top of him.
Despite the efforts of PC Castle’s female colleague to de-escalate the situation, the officer continues to yell in the teenager’s face, shouting: “Right, listen, stop screaming like a little b****. Do you understand that? Shut up."
He continues: “Roll over. Right, you try resisting again, do you understand? Right, shut up.
"If you try resisting one more time—right, get your f***ing hands behind your back, do you understand? One hand at a time! One hand at a time. Stop screaming.”
After calling for another unit over the radio, PC Castle resumes shouting at the boy: “Right, stop resisting or I’m going to smash you. Do you understand? Put your hands behind your back.”
The officer then tells members of the public watching to “move back” before placing his hands on the boy’s face, prompting the teenager to cry out in apparent pain.
Throughout the arrest, the teenager can be heard screaming and shouting, “What have I done wrong?”
At one point, he begins crying and appears to struggle to breathe.
Senior officers were made aware of PC Castle’s conduct during the January 2024 arrest after his colleagues raised concerns.
This prompted a 16-month investigation and gross misconduct proceedings.
Last week, a misconduct panel found that PC Castle made the boy feel “frightened and intimidated” and showed him a “lack of courtesy and respect.”
The sacked officer tearfully apologised for his “out of character” actions during the police disciplinary hearing, admitting he “lost control” during the arrest.
He was found guilty of gross misconduct by a panel led by Wiltshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Deborah Smith.
He was dismissed without notice and barred from serving as an officer again.
The panel heard the boy had been suspected of assaulting an elderly man while riding an e-scooter, before becoming involved in a fracas with another youth outside McDonald’s.
PC Castle had first spotted the suspect walking up Richmond Hill in Bournemouth before conducting the stop.
Giving evidence, PC Castle said the boy’s resistance triggered flashbacks to his arrest of a county lines drug dealer 18 months earlier, which had left him fearing for his life.
PC Castle admitted he had overstepped the mark with his language and aggression and broke down in tears as he said: “I’m embarrassed by the video, and I apologise for my actions.
"Anyone who knows me, in public or private life, knows that is not how I behave. When he started screaming and resisting, I panicked and became overwhelmed.
"I did not choke the suspect, and I did not get him in a headlock. I was trying to keep his head still with the palm of my hand so he didn’t hit it.
"I did not put my full weight on him, as my knees were on the concrete. I only applied enough pressure to keep his body still.
"During the arrest, I saw the knife fall out of his waistband, so he was arrested for a knife offence. I think the arrest needed to be made, but I lost control of the situation.”
