Disgraced UK police officer who beat up ex-partner's pal can never rejoin force
- 2 years ago
A disgraced police officer who beat up his ex-partner's pal can never rejoin the force.
Robbie Egan, 30, attacked his previous partner's friend Danny Cambridge after rushing out of his house wearing nothing but his underwear.
Mr Cambridge and another friend were accompanying the former cop's ex Jessica Owen who wanted to drop off some of his belongings after their relationship ended.
The trio were getting back in their car after leaving his stuff outside the house on Fernlea Avenue in a carrier bag, when Egan came running out.
He allegedly punched Mr Cambridge and pushed his forearm up against his neck, blocking his windpipe, shouting "I'm going to knock all of you out".
The former Canterbury police officer pleaded guilty to assault by battery in front of Margate magistrates last month.
Chief Constable Alan Pughsley told a misconduct hearing at Kent Police headquarters in Gravesend that gym-goer Egan had discredited the force.
He said: "It was clear he was aggressive and threatening and had assaulted a member of the public.
“The Kent Police mission is to protect the public. The core responsibility of a police officer is to keep people safe.
“This conduct cannot be tolerated, nor can it be expected by the public. He would no longer have the trust of the public if he was still serving.
“If he was still serving, I would have dismissed him.”
The disciplinary hearing, which Egan did not attend, was told he handed in his notice earlier this month and his pay was terminated on Valentine’s Day.
DCI Natalie Potter also said witness accounts of the incident last summer “suggest a serious lack of control, which might well cast doubt over PC Egan”.
She added: “Public confidence in the use of legitimate force by the police officer would have been affected.
“This is a case of such clarity that dismissal would have been the only appropriate sanction.”
Egan's details will be added to the College of Policing’s barred list, preventing him from becoming an officer again or taking up roles within the fire service.
During the trial earlier this month, Prosecutor Nathan Fitzpatrick told the court: "Egan came running out of the house. In an aggressive and rage-like manner, he opened the passenger door, saying ‘you know what day it is’.
'His mother came out, and at this point Egan walked over to the driver’s side of the car where Mr Cambridge was sitting. He assaulted Mr Cambridge verbally and physically grabbed him.
“He pushed his forearm against Mr Cambridge’s windpipe and punched him, shouting ‘I’m going to knock all of you ***** out’.”
Egan claimed he was “extremely emotional”, having completed the sale of his late grandad’s home before the incident took place on 29 June last year.
Footage of the incident shows the former officer saying to his ex “How dare you? After you knew what my mum and dad’s been through today.”
He can then be seen leaning over the driver of the vehicle shouting “shut up before I bang every single one of you up” and moving his arms towards Mr Cambridge.
Despite the video, Egan disputed Mr Cambridges version of events saying: "I am willing to plead guilty to assault on the following basis.
“It was extremely emotional because we sold my grandad’s house after his death, and I told Ms Owen I would collect my belongings the next day.
“I heard my property being thrown to the ground outside.
"I didn’t go (to the car) to assault anyone; I wanted Jessica Owen to stop throwing my belongings."
The disgraced PC, who had been in the job for two years before his suspension on 30 June 2021, the day of his arrest, is due to be sentenced at Margate Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Robbie Egan, 30, attacked his previous partner's friend Danny Cambridge after rushing out of his house wearing nothing but his underwear.
Mr Cambridge and another friend were accompanying the former cop's ex Jessica Owen who wanted to drop off some of his belongings after their relationship ended.
The trio were getting back in their car after leaving his stuff outside the house on Fernlea Avenue in a carrier bag, when Egan came running out.
He allegedly punched Mr Cambridge and pushed his forearm up against his neck, blocking his windpipe, shouting "I'm going to knock all of you out".
The former Canterbury police officer pleaded guilty to assault by battery in front of Margate magistrates last month.
Chief Constable Alan Pughsley told a misconduct hearing at Kent Police headquarters in Gravesend that gym-goer Egan had discredited the force.
He said: "It was clear he was aggressive and threatening and had assaulted a member of the public.
“The Kent Police mission is to protect the public. The core responsibility of a police officer is to keep people safe.
“This conduct cannot be tolerated, nor can it be expected by the public. He would no longer have the trust of the public if he was still serving.
“If he was still serving, I would have dismissed him.”
The disciplinary hearing, which Egan did not attend, was told he handed in his notice earlier this month and his pay was terminated on Valentine’s Day.
DCI Natalie Potter also said witness accounts of the incident last summer “suggest a serious lack of control, which might well cast doubt over PC Egan”.
She added: “Public confidence in the use of legitimate force by the police officer would have been affected.
“This is a case of such clarity that dismissal would have been the only appropriate sanction.”
Egan's details will be added to the College of Policing’s barred list, preventing him from becoming an officer again or taking up roles within the fire service.
During the trial earlier this month, Prosecutor Nathan Fitzpatrick told the court: "Egan came running out of the house. In an aggressive and rage-like manner, he opened the passenger door, saying ‘you know what day it is’.
'His mother came out, and at this point Egan walked over to the driver’s side of the car where Mr Cambridge was sitting. He assaulted Mr Cambridge verbally and physically grabbed him.
“He pushed his forearm against Mr Cambridge’s windpipe and punched him, shouting ‘I’m going to knock all of you ***** out’.”
Egan claimed he was “extremely emotional”, having completed the sale of his late grandad’s home before the incident took place on 29 June last year.
Footage of the incident shows the former officer saying to his ex “How dare you? After you knew what my mum and dad’s been through today.”
He can then be seen leaning over the driver of the vehicle shouting “shut up before I bang every single one of you up” and moving his arms towards Mr Cambridge.
Despite the video, Egan disputed Mr Cambridges version of events saying: "I am willing to plead guilty to assault on the following basis.
“It was extremely emotional because we sold my grandad’s house after his death, and I told Ms Owen I would collect my belongings the next day.
“I heard my property being thrown to the ground outside.
"I didn’t go (to the car) to assault anyone; I wanted Jessica Owen to stop throwing my belongings."
The disgraced PC, who had been in the job for two years before his suspension on 30 June 2021, the day of his arrest, is due to be sentenced at Margate Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.