Thames Valley Police have praised three officers that challenged the “offensive and discriminatory” language used by a PC at a social gathering in Reading.

Alexander Bavington inappropriately touched another PC, used derogatory language toward a second female officer and made an offensive comment about a third officer’s same-sex intimacy, a misconduct hearing report said.

He admitted gross misconduct and was handed a final written warning for a period of two years at a misconduct hearing on November 3.

“This decision, and the sanction imposed by the panel, demonstrates the seriousness that we attach to misconduct involving offensive and discriminatory language,” said Detective Chief Superintendent Ailsa Kent, head of the Professional Standards Department.

READ MORE: Major disruption as all lines blocked across Reading, Wokingham and Slough

“I would like to thank the officers that challenged this behaviour, as a consequence of their actions the misconduct investigation began.

“Their behaviour represents the standards and values that we expect from our workforce and that create healthy workforce culture.”

READ MORE: When Thames Valley Police could relocate to new station in Reading as work restarts

While off duty on May 11, PC Bavington (4951) called a female officer a derogatory Polish word for women, and when speaking to a second PC who he knew to be in a same-sex relationship, said: “So do you like it up the **** then?”, according to the misconduct hearing's Notice of Outcome.

It stated he inappropriately touched another female police constable in a manner that made her feel uncomfortable and had let members of the public in the establishment know the social group was made up of police officers.

Bavington made a full admission on the basis he was so drunk he had no memory of events and accepted what his colleagues alleged.