West Yorkshire Police officer violently attacked wife in front of their children

A West Yorkshire Police officer violently attacked his wife in front of their children hitting her while she lay defenceless on the floor.
PC Joynal Hannan violently attacked his wife in front of their children. Picture posed by a model.PC Joynal Hannan violently attacked his wife in front of their children. Picture posed by a model.
PC Joynal Hannan violently attacked his wife in front of their children. Picture posed by a model.

PC Joynal Hannan, who had served as an officer in Bradford since 2004, carried out the sustained attack on his wife following an argument on the evening of April 13, 2018.

A misconduct hearing, heard at the force's headquarters in Wakefield on Friday, heard how PC Hannan's wife had a "difficult relationship" with his sister which had caused many arguments between the couple.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mrs Hannan told her husband his sister had been abusive to her on the day in question.

An argument followed in which PC Hannan got more aggressive and called his wife a number of expletives.

She decided to leave the family home with their children.

Representing the West Yorkshire Police force, detective inspector Carl Morrison said: "PC Hannan followed her, grabbed her by the hair and pulled her hair back.

"She turned around, he let go of her and then hit her on the forehead.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"This caused her to fall backwards and he punched her several times on the back of her head and arm while she was on the floor."

PC Hannan said to his wife: "What are you going to do now? Call the police? They will not do anything."

Mrs Hannan called 999 and the attack was recorded by the call handler.

PC Hannan was heard swearing at his wife. He was also racially abusive to her.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She attempted to leave the house and PC Hannan hit her in the face, before grabbing her phone and throwing it on the floor, cracking the scene.

She managed to make her escape in the car with their children.

Police officers attended the couple's home and PC Hannan was arrested at the scene.

He was later charged with assault and criminal damage.

PC Hannan was found guilty of the offences following a trial at Leeds Magistrates Court in February and was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He was also made subject to a restraining order and ordered to undertake a rehabilitation course.

Sergeant Chris Bentley from the West Yorkshire Police Federation represented PC Hannan at the misconduct hearing on Friday.

PC Hannan did not attend.

Sgt Bentley said: "PC Hannan has always maintained the incident did not happen the way it has been described.

"He states his wife was dragging the children upstairs and he stepped in between them and pushed her with minimum force to stop her hurting them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"He accepts because of the conviction this amounts to gross misconduct but has always denied the manner in which the incident has been described.

"He apologises profusely for the position he has put the force in and for causing the public to mistrust the police."

Temporary West Yorkshire Police Chief Constable John Constable chaired the hearing and said the "compelling evidence" given constituted gross misconduct.

He said: "PC Hannan's conduct and behaviour was not only criminal but fell far below the standard expected of a serving police officer whether on or off duty."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Chief Constable added: "The reputation of West Yorkshire Police has been brought into disrepute and unless the public see decisive action there confidence will be adversely affected.

"Without hesitation is in the public interest for PC Hannan to be dismissed immediately."

He has been placed on the College of Policing barred list.

Following the hearing, detective chief superintendent Simon Bottomley, from West Yorkshire Police's professional standards directorate said: "The behaviour of this officer was quite simply unacceptable and completely at odds with the standards that we expect from our officers and staff and this is reflected in the outcome of today’s hearing."