Police officer found guilty of assault

A Gloucestershire police officer has appeared in court where he has been convicted and sentenced following an altercation on a Christmas night out.

Mark Bale, aged 38, and from Gloucester, was found guilty of two counts of common assault and one count of using threatening words or behaviour following a trial at Worcester Magistrates’ Court last week. He was acquitted of a third assault.

The court heard that Bale, who was off-duty at the time, was on a night out in Cheltenham on 15 December 2023. He was part of a group of people who had headed to Revolutions on Clarence Street.

During the evening, Bale was challenged over his behaviour by a member of staff who made the decision to remove him and another member of the party from the club.

However, once outside, Bale became aggressive and assaulted two members of the door staff, kicking one and punching another.

A second police officer, who had been charged with common assault at the same time, was found not guilty during the trial. He has since resigned from the Constabulary.

Bale, who appeared at Worcester Magistrates’ Court last Friday (7 March), was ordered to pay a total of £1,500. This included a fine of £500 and £100 to each victim in compensation.

Bale, who is part of the Reactive Investigations Team, has been suspended. A disciplinary process has now begun against both officers.