Police Sergeant Dismissed After Harassment Campaign Against Driving School
A police officer with over two decades of service has been sacked following a sustained campaign of harassment against a driving school owner, triggered by his son missing an intensive course. Police Sergeant Gabriel Chandler, who had served with Kent Police since 2002, was found guilty of gross misconduct after targeting Intensives UK and its owner, Mark Elliot, with dozens of calls, emails, and malicious online reviews over five months.
Course Dispute Escalates into Vicious Abuse
The misconduct hearing, held between December 8 and 12 last year, revealed that PS Chandler booked an intensive driving course for his son in June 2021, paying £1,359 in deposit and course fees. However, the course did not proceed because the school was never informed that his son had passed the required driving theory test, a condition of their terms. When PS Chandler demanded a full refund and did not receive one, he launched his abusive campaign starting in February 2022.
Staff at Intensives UK reported that the officer would sometimes make up to 50 calls a day, with phone logs showing 44 calls in a single day in August. The emails and reviews submitted as evidence included false and damaging accusations, with PS Chandler describing Mr Elliot as a thief and criminal with alleged links to drug funding, paedophilia, and child sexual exploitation.
Threats and Refusal to Accept Refunds
In one particularly alarming email, PS Chandler warned: Your homes and offices will be raided. You will all face heavy custodial sentences. And in my experience fraudsters aren’t built for prison. Your families they’ll be ripped apart. Later that same day, he added: Even your legitimate accounts will be frozen. I’d hate for that to affect your families. But it happens.
Despite being offered a partial refund of around £1,122 in March, and later a full refund, PS Chandler refused to accept the money and continued his abuse. Another email stated: Forget the money. You’re a criminal. I’m going to take you down and yes I’m going to enjoy doing it. The misconduct panel described his subsequent civil claim against Mr Elliot as purposefully misleading.
Impact on Business and Police Reputation
The report noted that PS Chandler continued to target the business even after it rebranded, demonstrating a persistent and vindictive approach. It described him as an intelligent and successful police officer who should have known to uphold professional standards at all times, whether on or off duty. The panel concluded that his behaviour absolutely plain failed to meet these standards, and the only sanction to maintain public confidence was dismissal without notice.
Detective Chief Superintendent Jon Armory, head of professional standards at Kent Police, commented: Even when off duty, police officers are still held to the highest standards of professional conduct and, in this case, PC Chandler’s behaviour fell far below what is expected of our officers and staff. The vast majority of Kent Police officers and staff uphold the expected standards, often going above and beyond to ensure crimes are solved, victims are protected, and offenders are brought to justice.
This case highlights the serious consequences of misconduct within the police force, underscoring the importance of accountability and professional behaviour in maintaining public trust.
