A misconduct hearing has ruled a police officer who assaulted a taxi driver would have been dismissed if he hadn’t already left the force.

James Gillies, previously based at Lambeth, was found to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour.

The panel heard that he took a taxi in Bournemouth last year without having any means to pay the fare.

The off-duty officer then became rude and abusive towards the taxi driver before assaulting him.