Disciplinary action taken by GMP after one of its officers was caught on camera appearing to drag rough sleeper along the ground in his sleeping bag will be reviewed, the mayor has said.

The footage was filmed outside Manchester Town Hall last September and also appears to show the female office treading on the man’s stomach

The force said they had ‘dealt with’ the officer’s ‘actions’.

A statement added: “Greater Manchester Police was first made aware of this concerning video in around September last year. The officer’s behaviour fell below the standard we expect, especially concerning respect for all members of the community, and the officer’s actions were dealt with.

“The superintendent responsible for the city centre personally discussed the incident with the officer and made it clear that her actions were unacceptable and must not be repeated. She, along with other employees, received refresher training on how to deal with similar situations in the future.”

Now mayor Andy Burnham has said he has asked one of GMP’s top officers to review ‘if the disciplinary action taken was appropriate’.

Speaking at a Police Accountability meeting on Tuesday (March 5), he said: “Colleagues may have seen some troubling images of an interaction with a police officer and someone sleeping rough — I think a refugee.

“This was the first time the deputy mayor and I had seen the footage or were aware of the incident. It’s raised public concern, understandably so, and the question if the disciplinary action taken by GMP was appropriate.

“I have asked the Deputy Chief Constable to review if the decision-making was correct or if more was needed to be done.”

The meeting also heard from Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who was appointed by Mr Burnham to turn the force around.

Only two-and-a-half years ago, GMP was in special measures but is now ‘objectively, tangibly, and factually the most improved [force] in the country’, he said.

He added: “We were in special measures in each of the eight strategic questions. We were either inadequate or requires improvement.

“We have emerged from special measures faster than has ever been recorded in contemporary policing. Our latest Peel Inspection demonstrated with one single exception we are either adequate or good.

“This is not advocacy to suggest we are where we need to be. But I am celebrating tangible milestones. We need to be good in all [questions] and outstanding in some.”