Three Metropolitan police officers face disciplinary proceedings that could lead to them being sacked after an off-duty firefighter was allegedly abused and shot with a Taser because he was black.

The officers face a disciplinary panel starting on Monday on charges of gross misconduct, which is further alleged to be racially motivated, the Guardian has learned. They deny the charges.

Edric Kennedy-Macfoy, 32, said police had behaved like “wild animals”, dragging him from his car and subjecting him to a violent attack that culminated in him being shot with a Taser.

Since the incident in September 2011, one of the accused officers has been promoted by the Met.

Kennedy-Macfoy says he approached the officers in Harrow, north London, to help identify a young man who had thrown a rock at a police van after a late-night melee. He says officers suddenly turned on him, and he believes he was targeted because of his skin colour.

The disciplinary charges against the three officers – PCs Mark Gatland and Daniel Roberts and Insp Sutinderjit Mahil, who at the time was a sergeant – followed an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

The Met said it was alleged that Gatland “used unreasonable force and discharged a Taser without warning and that on both occasions his actions were motivated by racial discrimination and/or racial stereotyping and so treated the victim less favourably.”

The force said it was also alleged that Roberts and Mahil each used “abusive and offensive language and that racial discrimination and/or racial stereotyping motivated this”.

Kennedy-Macfoy told the Guardian he was dragged from a white Audi he had been driving, and the officers encircled him and shouted abuse. He said he replied calmly and showed his palms to the officers, telling them: “Listen guys, I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m a firefighter – I work with you lot and I just want to explain something. I’ve showed no aggression towards any of you.”

He said of the disciplinary proceedings: “I can only hope and pray that the truth finally prevails and that justice is now done. After everything I’ve been through I find it very difficult to call on the police for assistance at a time of need. Racism in the police is something I’ve seen and suffered throughout my life. It’s a disease that can only be cured by police forces rooting it out from within.”

The new prime minister, Theresa May, highlighted racial discrimination in the justice system as she took office last week, saying outside Downing Street: “If you’re black, you’re treated more harshly by the criminal justice system than if you’re white.”

Kennedy-Macfoy was cleared of obstructing police after a two-day trial at Brent magistrates court. The disciplinary hearing against the officers will be held in private and is scheduled to last three weeks. Kennedy-Macfoy is expected to testify.

The IPCC said: “The IPCC investigation into a complaint made by Edric Kennedy-Macfoy relating to his arrest by MPS officers is complete. We have shared our findings with the MPS professional standards department and Mr Kennedy-Macfoy’s solicitors. Three MPS officers are now facing gross misconduct hearings and as such it would be inappropriate to comment on the findings of the investigation.”



The Crown Prosecution Service decided not to bring criminal charges against the officers. Kennedy-Macfoy’s lawyer, Shamik Dutta, said: “My client has done all he can to bring these matters to the attention of the authorities. He must now place his faith in the police misconduct tribunal.”