A British Transport Police officer who used excessive force during an arrest has been found guilty of gross misconduct.

Pc Kerry Reynolds was also found to have used disrespectful and offensive language about the detainee during an arrest at King’s Cross St Pancras on February 18 last year.

And in spite of knowing he was under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) after a colleague informed a manager of his behaviour, Reynolds broke the rules further by discussing the subsequent enquiry with witnesses and investigators.

In the hearing on Friday an IPCC panel found Pc Reynolds’ use of force to be “unnecessary, unreasonable and disproportionate” besides finding him guilty of being in breach of authority and confidentiality.

The officer – who is based in north London – was sacked without notice.

Deputy chief constable Adrian Hanstock, said: “Every day, our officers and staff do extraordinary things to protect the most vulnerable and safeguard the public from harm. Incidents such as this undermine all of that work and damage public trust.

“It is regrettable Pc Reynolds did not demonstrate the level of professional control and restraint in line with his training and our code of behaviour. This incident does not reflect the professionalism of BTP officers,” he added.

Dep Ch Con Hanstock went on to say the BTP continued to scrutinise its use of force in line with national guidelines.

“We place great emphasis on the careful recruitment and intensive training of our officers to uphold our high standards and recognise the responsibilities associated with the privileged role they hold,” he said.