A serving Bolton police officer in Bolton has been sacked after grabbing a man by the neck in a mosque after a WhatsApp disagreement.

PC Muhammed Moosa was dismissed without notice on Tuesday, April 9, after an accelerated misconduct hearing at Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) headquarters.

In July last year, he was given a conditional caution relating to an incident where he assaulted a man in the kitchen of a mosque by grabbing him by the neck following a disagreement on WhatsApp.

PC Moosa was not on duty at the time.

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Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who presided over the disciplinary hearing, said the behaviour was "incompatible" with the role of a police officer and that PC Moosa had shown no "self-control or tolerance" towards a member of the public.

The hearing also heard that PC Moosa’s actions were "out of character".

He worked in GMP's Bolton district and had been on restricted duties since March 2023 and accepted his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct.

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CC Watson said: “Culpability in this case is high and the officer’s actions deliberate, unforced and unlawful.

“PC Moosa deliberately sought out the victim, forcing an altercation resulting in an unprovoked assault.

“The assault was clearly out of character and to his credit, PC Moosa admitted the offence, and his regret and remorse is genuine.

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“However, the purpose of these proceedings is to preserve public confidence in the police service and police officers can’t commit criminal offences.”

PC Moosa’s name will also be added to the College of Policing Barred List.