A POLICE officer who fractured his wife’s back by kicking her down a flight of stairs has been barred from rejoining any police force after an accelerated misconduct hearing found him guilty of discreditable conduct.
Huw Orphan, 31, from Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, was convicted of grievous bodily harm at Cardiff Crown Court in September following a violent attack on his wife, fellow police officer Amy Burley, in April 2020. Orphan did not attend the misconduct hearing in Cwmbran, where the allegations against him were proven.
During the hearing, Gwent Police’s temporary assistant chief constable Nick McLain said he had “no hesitation” in concluding that Orphan’s actions had brought the police force into disrepute, severely undermining public confidence in policing. McLain stated that Orphan “would have been immediately dismissed had he not resigned” shortly before the hearing.
The attack took place after an argument between the couple escalated, with Orphan kicking his wife in the stomach at the top of the stairs. The force of the blow caused Burley to fall down the stairs, fracturing one of her vertebrae. This was not the first instance of violence. The hearing was told that on a previous occasion, Orphan had barged through the front door, causing his wife to hit her head. He also dug his nails into her, causing injury.
Mr McLain condemned the attack as “gratuitous violence” and called Orphan’s behaviour “wholly unacceptable.” The gross misconduct charges related to the serious abuse of a woman and constituted a clear breach of professional standards.
With Orphan permanently banned from serving in any police force, the case has prompted further concerns about the treatment of domestic violence cases within the police force itself.
