A police officer has been booted out of the service after he was found to have used excessive force in an arrest, the force revealed yesterday.

Pc Oswin Pereira was dismissed after a three-strong panel held a hearing into his conduct during the incident.

A police spokesman said that the tribunal also found that Pereira had “breached honesty and integrity demonstrating levels of premeditated behaviours that brought discredit on the Bermuda Police Service which amounted to gross misconduct”.

Another officer, Pc Joshua Boden, who was alleged to have failed to notify senior officers about Pereira’s conduct, was cleared of wrongdoing in connection with the same incident.

Detective Superintendent Gillian Murray, the service’s head of professional standards, said: “Our officers work hard to maintain the confidence of the public and often have to make split-second decisions in very demanding and stressful situations.

“However, with regards to Pc Pereira, the panel felt the officer’s actions in these circumstances fell well below what is expected.

“There is no place in the Bermuda Police Service for those who abuse that trust, leaving the panel no choice but to find the allegations against Pc Pereira proven and to dismiss him with immediate effect.”

Commissioner of Police Stephen Corbishley added: “While this incident took place over two years ago, and its examination was delayed through a number of different legal processes, it demonstrates the panel’s consideration to the high standards of professionalism and integrity that local communities expect of police officers.”

The sacked officer, however, has the option to appeal the judgment.

The dismissal stemmed from the arrest of teenager Talundae Grant, who died in a motorbike crash last year, aged 19, in Southampton on May 2017.

Pc Pereira was involved in a high-speed pursuit of Mr Grant’s motorbike and Pc Boden responded to a request for assistance.

Pc Boden arrived at woods off the parish’s Eastdale Lane and saw Pc Pereira enter the trees on foot.

He saw Pc Pereira attempting to subdue the suspect with a Taser stun gun as he tried to handcuff him and also saw him swinging his police-issued Asp baton.

The Supreme Court last August dismissed a claim by the two officers that it was unfair that the disciplinary panel would include a senior colleague.

Police confirmed this morning that four officers have been dismissed for misconduct over the past five years.