A senior police officer responsible for domestic violence cases has been convicted of a drunken outburst towards his partner after drinking cocktails and prosecco.
Det Insp Mark Portelli, 45, subjected his partner to a barrage of verbal abuse after he was kicked out of a nightclub.
The officer of 19 years, who had drank cocktails and prosecco at a boozy bottomless meal, shouted “you stupid f—— b—-”.
Portelli was being arrested by officers from the same force as him as he hurled the abuse at his girlfriend.
He also screamed the word “f—” up to 10 times during the outburst.
After a one-day trial at Southampton magistrates’ court on Wednesday, the Dorset Police officer was found guilty of using threatening or abusive words likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
He was accused of assaulting three staff members at Canvas nightclub in Bournemouth, but the charges were withdrawn at court.
The court heard that his outburst happened outside Canvas in the early hours of March 31 this year.
He was being arrested in relation to the alleged assaults inside the nightclub and had a falling out with his unnamed partner.
Portelli, from Poole, works in the high harm unit of Dorset Police covering domestic violence and stalking cases as well as repeat offenders.
He claimed his offensive words were directed at himself and not his partner, but District Judge Anthony Callaway rejected his argument.
‘You have let yourself down’
Sentencing Portelli, Judge Callaway said: “I accept that this was an aberration, you have let yourself down.
“The public expect officers to set an example and you did not.”
Judge Callaway also outlined the case, saying that his ejection from Canvas and subsequent arrest had “no relevance” to the offence which happened afterwards.
‘Started drinking at five o’clock’
“There was an incident within the club that led to [Det Insp Portelli’s] arrest involving common assault of three named persons who worked for the club,” he said.
“This may have predicated the arrest but it has nothing to do with this incident.
“He started drinking at five o’clock in the afternoon, he consumed a quantity of drink, no offence in that.
“PC [Luke] Booth and PC [Robert] Cleary were deployed to an incident, Portelli was subject to an arrest.
“According to PC Cleary, he uttered ‘you stupid f—— t—’ looking back at the nightclub and commented ‘you stupid f—— b—-.
“The defendant was arrested and interviewed, he was annoyed about this arrest and said the comments were not directed at any party.
“I think they were directed to a particular person, the statements were abusive and uttered over a specific period of time whilst [Det Insp Portelli] was being arrested and on that basis I find him guilty.”
‘Annoyed with myself’
Portelli told the court he had consumed several cocktails and glasses of prosecco with a meal before leaving for another bar where he continued to drink.
He said the incident was a “regrettable burst of anger” and that he was annoyed with himself.
Portelli said: “I was not looking to achieve anything, it was a regrettable burst of anger.
“Although I was looking in the direction of my partner, it was not directed at her. I was annoyed with myself.”
He was fined £500 and ordered to pay the prosecution’s costs of £620 as well as a victim surcharge of £200.
Rachel Farrell, Deputy Chief Constable of Dorset Police, said Portelli had ‘jeopardised the trust and confidence the public have in us’ – Russell Sach
Speaking after the hearing, Rachel Farrell, Deputy Chief Constable of Dorset Police, said: “Det Insp Portelli’s actions on the night in question clearly fell well below the expectations of behaviour for our officers and staff. We took swift action to arrest, suspend and investigate the officer.
“Members of the public quite rightly have the expectation that our officers and staff should strive to adhere to the highest of standards in their behaviour, even when not on duty.
“I know our own officers and staff will also feel very let down by a fellow officer who has jeopardised the trust and confidence the public have in us.”
She also added that Portelli will now face misconduct proceedings.
The assault charges against Portelli were withdrawn by the prosecution because the alleged victims, three nightclub staff members, did not attend the trial.