A UK police sergeant has been demoted after officers left a man barefoot and half-naked on the street — just minutes before he was killed in a hit-and-run.
Father-of-six Gareth Roper, 35, was taken from his home in Wigan on New Year’s Day 2022 after his wife reported he was acting strangely. Officers drove him three miles away but released him just nine minutes later outside an Iceland store — without his phone, money, or clothes. He was left standing in only his boxer shorts.
About 24 minutes later, Roper was struck and killed by a Volvo while walking along a dark road. The driver, Jamie Evans, 32, was jailed for nine years in 2023.
After a misconduct hearing, Sergeant David Wood was found guilty of gross misconduct and demoted to constable. Three other officers involved also faced disciplinary action.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the officers failed in their duty of care. “The actions taken fell short of professional standards,” said IOPC Director Amanda Rowe, expressing condolences to Roper’s family.
She added that while no criminal charges were brought, the officers’ accountability and the investigation’s findings were shared with the coroner to aid the inquest.
