PC Niko Mawany outcome summary

Misconduct hearing outcome 

Officer concerned: PC Niko Mawany

Dates of hearing: 29 to 30 June 2026

Summary

The brief circumstances are that the Officer posted an offensive poll, intended as a joke, in a WhatsApp group, doing so recklessly having regard to its potential to cause offence. The poll in fact caused upset to the complainant. Further, the Officer's conduct by trivialising an important aspect of the Muslim faith risked reputational harm to the police service. Considering these factors the panel assessed the level of harm caused by the Officer's conduct to be medium.

The Officer's conduct was, as already found by the panel, reckless. He ought to have foreseen the risk of causing offence before making his posting, particularly given his awareness of the policies governing the use of social media. Considering these factors the panel assessed the level of the Officer's culpability to be medium.

The panel identified the Officer's deviation from policy as an aggravating factor.

In respect of mitigating factors, the panel identified that:

• This was a single episode of brief duration.
• The Officer made admissions at an early stage
• The Officer took steps to reduce the harm caused to PC Al-Fatlawi by apologising to him.
• The Officer had demonstrated remorse, insight and an acceptance of responsibility for his misconduct.

The panel also took into account the personal mitigation advanced on the Officer's behalf, including the considerable evidence of his good character from his colleagues and the confidence they placed in him.

Decision

The panel considered the available outcomes, starting with the least severe sanction. Having regard to the seriousness of the misconduct, the aggravating and mitigating factors, and the purpose of the police misconduct regime, the panel was satisfied that an 18-month Written Warning was an appropriate and proportionate outcome.