A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Specials police officer from Bolton who assaulted his neighbour’s child has been barred.

An accelerated misconduct hearing was told that former Special Constable Andrew Parkinson, who resigned from the force in September, acted with gross misconduct.

GMP Specials are officers that give up their own time to volunteer for the force.

Chaired by GMP Chief Constable Stephen Watson, the hearing found that if he hadn’t already resigned, Parkinson would have been dismissed.

The decision comes after Parkinson was found guilty of assaulting his seven-year-old neighbour in June last year.

Read more: Police special constable of 30 years guilty of assaulting seven-year-old neighbour

Liverpool Magistrates Court heard that the young neighbour had been playing with other children on 7 May 2021, throwing water at each other.

A small amount of water accidentally landed on Parkinson and he placed his arm around the neck and torso of the child before lifting him up and carrying him to his parents’ house.

Parkinson was not present at the hearing, nor was there anyone at the hearing representing him.

CC Watson was satisfied that, despite no attendance from Parkinson or any representative of his, that the hearing would be able to proceed.

He said: “There has been a consideration to serious breaches of standards of professional behaviour.

"He has accepted that he committed discreditable conduct.

“I have determined that, on the balance of probabilities, his actions amount to gross misconduct.

“It is a matter of fact that Andrew Parkinson was convicted of an offence of battery occasioning common assault.

“It stemmed from a single interaction with young neighbour in the street, adjacent to his address.”

Parkinson has now been placed on the College of Policing Barred List.

CC Watson added: “I consider Mr Parkinson’s culpability to be high, he was convicted of a criminal offence.

“A conviction of this type brings the profession into disrepute and undermines public confidence in their police officers.

“An aggravating factor is that it was a deliberate, unforced choice which resulted in injuries sustained, which were relatively minor, but this was by fortune rather than by design.

“He can be held singly accountable for it.

 “The mitigating circumstances that I have taken into account include his record of service.

“With violent crimes, although it is on the least serious end of the spectrum, being criminal assault, I am certain the public would hold the notion that police officers can’t in any circumstances commit criminal offences themselves.

“This case does have obvious potential to diminish public confidence. The level of seriousness is regarded as high.”

In conclusion, CC Watson said: “Mr Parkinson’s offending behaviour was clearly unlawful, contrary to the clearest of instructions as to the standards required of our officers, and reckless as to the potential risk of injury to another implied in his actions.

"What is clear to me is that this episode marks a regrettable lapse in judgement.

"His behaviour is at odds with the fact that as an effective volunteer police officer, Mr Parkinson was held to be an otherwise decent and hard-working officer, who has shown sustained commitment to public service for over three decades.

"It remains clear, however, that all of these positive personal attributes do not outweigh the potential for the loss of confidence that would ensue if Mr Parkinson would have been permitted to continue to perform in the office of constable.

"Had Mr Parkinson not resigned, I would have dismissed him from the service."