PC Graeme Thornhill has been sacked from Nottinghamshire Police

A police officer who sprayed a father with CS gas as he rushed his sickle cell anaemia-suffering son to hospital has been sacked.

PC Graeme Thornhill, 34, also beat the terrified father across the thighs with a police baton and kicked him as he lay face-down on a grass verge.

Yesterday, he was found guilty of gross misconduct for using 'excessive and disproportionate force' and dismissed from his job as a Nottinghamshire police officer.

During the hearing, the victim accused the former officer of being racist, which PC Thornhill denied, although the ethnicity of the father was not revealed.

A panel held at Nottinghamshire Police headquarters heard how the victim was taking his son to Queen's Medical Centre, Nottinghamshire, at around 1am on November 26, 2014.

The boy, who suffers from sickle cell anaemia - a serious condition where red blood cells can't carry sufficient oxygen - was experiencing 'excruciating pain'.

The father, who has not been named, was driving on Western Boulevard, Nottinghamshire, when PC Thornhill pulled him over for 'erratic driving'.

The panel heard how, despite changing lanes, the victim stayed within the speed limit.

The victim said his pleas to let him take his son to hospital 'seemed to go on deaf ears.'

He added he stopped driving as soon as he noticed the police car.

He said: 'I was quite relieved at the time that it was police. I immediately got out of the car to advise them I've got a sick child in the car and that I need to get to hospital.

'I walked up towards the police car. Two police officers were out of the car coming towards me. I said I've got my son who I need to get to hospital with a crisis.

'I got back in the vehicle. I went to close the door to continue my journey and PC Thornhill pulled the door out of my hands so I wasn't able to close it.

'I then asked him: "Am I under arrest?" and he said: "No you're not", and started shouting: "Get out of the car". I said you can see I need to take my son to hospital, he's got a serious medical condition and it's life-threatening.

'It seemed to go on deaf ears. I asked him again: "Am I under arrest" and he proceeded to grab the right arm of my jacket.

'I started to get out of the car. The police officer then proceeded to spray me in the face with CS gas or pepper spray.

'Before I knew it, I could feel blows which could only be a baton or truncheon of the police officer on myself.'

Speaking at the disciplinary hearing, which lasted four days, the officer claimed that the victim was aggressive and failed to show a driving licence.

The victim admitted that he had refused to give the officer his name, and that he had refused to get out the car three times before the CS gas was used.

The father was making his way to the Queen's Medical Centre Hospital in Nottingham when the incident occured

PC Thornhill said: 'Throughout he demonstrated behaviour and mannerisms that posed a risk to our safety and his self and any other members of the public that came into the vicinity and he required controlling.'

He said that he sprayed the CS gas in the victim's face, and took 'three swings at him' with his baton, as he feared for his own safety.

He added: 'The first bounced off him. I thought he was made of steel but it is clear now I think it hit the steering wheel.

'I shouted get out now as I struck him but he did absolutely nothing.

'My goal was to strike him, his hands to come over to the source of pain and pull him out of the vehicle. I struck him a third time and he was still in the car.

'It was the one thing I did not want to do, but I had run out of options, so I had to reach inside the vehicle and grab hold of him.'

The officer then hit him again when he was lying face down on a grass verge, in order to get both the victim's hands out to apply handcuffs.

PC Thornhill, who has served with Nottinghamshire Police for 12 years, admitted that he had never noticed the child in the backseat, and claims that the man only made it clear that hospital treatment was needed after he had been handcuffed.

However, PC Claire Reeves, who was with him at the time, told the panel she heard the man mention sickle cell anemia and noticed the child in the car.

She also claimed that the victim was 'aggressive and unreasonable'.

Speaking after the hearing, PC Thornhill admitted that he is considering appealing against his dismissal to the Police (Discipline) Appeals Tribunal.

He also said he may complain to the Independent Complaints Commission.

He said: 'I have 12 years of exemplary, dedicated service to the people of Nottinghamshire, and a proven history of adopting a constantly proactive presence to keep our streets safe.

'I am disappointed by the findings of the panel, which appeared directly contrary to all of the hard, factual evidence laid before them.

'I maintained the police values of honesty and integrity throughout the hearing, and incredibly, I received criticism for the extent and detail of the evidence which I provided.

'I am incredibly concerned about the effect this outcome is already beginning to have on the service the public receive from officers from Nottinghamshire Police, who are upset and demoralised by the result and the lack of attention paid to the evidence presented.

'The personal safety of police officers and the necessary, lawful justification for their actions has now been proven to be of little importance in the context of complaints made against them, by those with whom they interact on a daily basis.

'If I was confronted with the same behaviour today I would not have changed (the way I acted).'

Detective superintendent Paul Murphy, the head of the Professional Standards Directorate of Nottinghamshire Police, said: 'The question of reasonable use of force is one faced by frontline police officers every day.

'Officers are rightly equipped with the personal protective equipment to do their job as safely as possible.

'I have confidence in the ability of operational officers to make reasonable quick time decisions to minimise risk.

'PC Thornhill lacked the skills to communicate effectively with a stressed and anxious member of the public through dialogue.

'We have had to work hard to regain the trust of those directly affected by this incident. PC Thornhill's actions are a discredit to the force and his colleagues who work to keep our communities safe.'