A former Wiltshire Police officer convicted of assaulting a 13-year-old boy while on duty would have been dismissed without notice had he not resigned from the force, a misconduct hearing has ruled. Former Police Constable Daniel Rusling appeared before a special case hearing after admitting assault by beating following an incident outside Monkton Park Police Station in Chippenham on 14 October 2025. Assistant Chief Constable Deborah Smith, who chaired the hearing on 20 July 2026, concluded Rusling’s actions amounted to gross misconduct and said he would have been dismissed had he still been a serving officer.
Child assaulted after calling 999
The assault happened after a group of six children contacted police to report they had been threatened by people in a car. Body-worn video captured Rusling, who was a response officer at the time, repeatedly swearing at the 13-year-old boy, who was wearing his school uniform, before aggressively pushing him several times. Thankfully, the child was not physically injured during the incident.
Guilty plea and suspended sentence
Last month, Rusling pleaded guilty to one count of assault by beating. He was sentenced to eight weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, undertake rehabilitation requirements and pay a financial penalty.
Gross misconduct
The misconduct hearing found Rusling’s criminal conviction breached the police standards relating to Discreditable Conduct, concluding his behaviour seriously undermined public confidence in policing. Assistant Chief Constable Smith said the conviction, committed while Rusling was on duty, represented a significant breach of the standards expected of police officers. The written outcome stated:
“Had former PC Rusling remained a serving officer he would have been dismissed for gross misconduct without notice.”
Added to barred list
The hearing also confirmed Rusling had resigned from Wiltshire Police shortly before the misconduct proceedings took place. As a result of the findings, he has been placed on the College of Policing Barred List with immediate effect, preventing him from rejoining the police service. Wiltshire Police said the outcome demonstrates that officers who fall below the high standards expected of the profession will be held accountable, even if they leave the force before disciplinary proceedings are concluded.
