By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-24 12:41:59 | Updated at 2024-12-25 01:08:18
12 hours ago
A senior detective responsible for domestic violence cases was held back by police after a foul-mouthed outburst towards his own partner.
Detective Inspector Mark Portelli was being bundled towards a custody van outside a nightclub in Dorset at the time of making the offensive remarks.
The cop was seen on body camera footage shouting 'you stupid f****** c***' and 'you stupid f**** t***' in the drunken rant.
In the video his colleagues can be heard saying 'this isn't going to help, is it?' and repeatedly calling Portelli's name in a desperate attempt to calm him.
The video - shot at 12.45am - shows the bearded officer, who has been in the police for 19 years, dressed for a night out in a black collared shirt with his hands cuffed behind his back.
It came after he had downed multiple cocktails and prosecco at a boozy bottomless brunch earlier that day.
PC Robert Cleary, who wears the body camera, approaches Portelli after his conversation with Inspector Sarah Jones is interrupted by the foul-mouthed detective shouting 't***'.
After a one-day trial at Southampton Magistrates' Court, Hampshire, last week the Dorset Police officer was found guilty of using threatening or abusive words likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
Detective Inspector Mark Portelli was being bundled towards a custody van outside a nightclub in Dorset at the time of making the offensive remarks
Police officers can be heard saying 'this isn't going to help, is it?' and repeatedly calling Portelli's name in a desperate attempt to calm him
Dorset Police Detective Inspector Mark Portelli (pictured) at Southampton Magistrates' Court where he was found guilty of using threatening or abusive words likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress
He was accused of assaulting three staff members at Canvas nightclub in Bournemouth, Dorset, but the charges were withdrawn at court.
The court heard his angry outburst happened outside Canvas in the early hours of March 31 this year.
He was being arrested in relation to the alleged assaults inside the nightclub and had a falling out with his unnamed partner.
DI Portelli from Poole, Dorset, works in the high harm unit of Dorset Police covering domestic violence and stalking cases as well as repeat offenders.
He argued his offensive words were directed at himself and not his unnamed partner, but District Judge Anthony Callaway rejected his argument.
Sentencing DI Portelli, Judge Callaway said: 'I accept that this was an aberration, you have let yourself down.
'The public expect officers to set an example and you did not.'
Judge Callaway also outlined the case, saying that his ejection from Canvas and arrest on March 31 this year had 'no relevance' to the offence which happened afterwards.
The incident took place outside of Canvas nightclub in Bournemouth in the early hours of March 31
Portelli was arrested as him as he hurled the abuse at his girlfriend. Pictured Southampton Magistrates Court
'There was an incident within the club that led to [DI Portelli's] arrest involving common assault of three named persons who worked for the club,' he said.
'This may have predicated the arrest but it has nothing to do with this incident.
'He started drinking at five o'clock in the afternoon, he consumed a quantity of drink, no offence in that.
'PC [Luke] Booth and PC [Robert] Cleary were deployed to an incident, Portelli was subject to an arrest.
'According to PC Cleary he uttered 'you stupid f****** t***' looking back at the nightclub and commented 'you stupid f***** b****, stupid f***** c**t'.
'The defendant was arrested and interviewed, he was annoyed about this arrest and said the comments were not directed at any party.
'I think they were directed to a particular person, the statements were abusive and uttered over a specific period of time whilst [DI Portelli] was being arrested and on that basis I find him guilty.'
DI Portelli told the court he had consumed several cocktails and glasses of prosecco at the bottomless brunch, a meal where guests are given unlimited alcoholic drinks for a set period of time, before leaving for another bar where he continued to drink.
The officer who has served 19 years in the police downed cocktails and prosecco at a boozy bottomless brunch
He said the incident was a 'regrettable burst of anger' and that he was annoyed with himself.
DI Portelli said: 'I was not looking to achieve anything, it was a regrettable burst of anger.
'Although I was looking in the direction of my partner it was not directed at her.
'I was annoyed with myself.'
He was fined £500 and ordered to pay the prosecution's costs of £620 as well as a victim surcharge of £200.
Speaking after the hearing, Deputy Chief Constable of Dorset Police Rachel Farrell said: 'DI Portelli's actions on the night in question clearly fell well below the expectations of behaviour for our officers and staff. We took swift action to arrest, suspend and investigate the officer.
'Members of the public quite rightly have the expectation that our officers and staff should strive to adhere to the highest of standards in their behaviour, even when not on duty.
'I know our own officers and staff will also feel very let down by a fellow officer who has jeopardised the trust and confidence the public have in us.'
She also added that DI Portelli will now face misconduct proceedings.
The assault charges against DI Portelli were withdrawn by the prosecution because the alleged victims, three nightclub staff members, did not attend the trial.
