Former police Superintendent fined after off duty criminal damage and taxi driver assault

A former North Wales Police Superintendent, Rob Kirman, has been fined after pleading guilty to a public order offence, a criminal damage offence and a common assault on an Apollo taxi driver.

These were offences which occurred whilst he was off duty in Wrexham on Saturday, August 12th last year.

At sentencing at Mold Magistrates Court on Monday Mr Kirman was fined £733, ordered to pay £366 compensation to the taxi company, £200 compensation for loss of earnings to the taxi driver and £85 court costs.

As well as the criminal investigation, North Wales Police also conducted an internal misconduct investigation and although Mr Kirman has resigned from the force last week, a public misconduct hearing will take place at North Wales Police Headquarters, Colwyn Bay, at on March 1st

The circumstances of this incident have also been referred to, and shared with, the Independent Office of Police Conduct (formerly the Independent Police Complaints Commission / IPCC) .

Assistant Chief Constable Richard Debicki said on Monday: “North Wales Police Professional Standards Department responded quickly to the allegations in this case conducting a thorough criminal investigation in order to gather the evidence which was put before the court. Mr Kirman subsequently pleaded guilty to offences of public order, criminal damage and common assault connected with the incident, and the court has passed sentence on those matters today.”

“He has since resigned his position from within the organisation and he is no longer serving with North Wales Police.

“We expect the highest standards of behaviour from police officers both on and off duty and it was therefore appropriate that an internal conduct investigation was also undertaken. Although Mr Kirman has resigned as a police officer from North Wales Police, it is appropriate to hold a public misconduct hearing on March 1st 2018 to hear conduct allegations arising from this incident.

“This is important to ensure that, in spite of his resignation, an independent panel is still able to consider the case in detail and any finding as the panel see appropriate. It is in the public interest, and in accordance with the Policing and Crime Act 2017 that these issues be considered and aired transparently and in a public hearing setting. The role and function of this panel is different to that of the criminal court where, of course, he has already been found guilty and sentenced for criminal matters.”