Tribunal overturns sacking of North Wales Police officer
The Police Appeals Tribunal has overturned the dismissal of former North Wales Police officer Owain Lewis, ruling that his behaviour during a domestic argument amounted to misconduct but not gross misconduct.
Reporting restrictions remain in place protecting the identities of two witnesses, known only as PC A and PC B.
The Tribunal, which heard the case on 2 October 2025, concluded that while Mr Lewis’s actions were reckless and fell below professional standards, there was no evidence of violence or threats towards his former partner.
The panel stated: “The PAT does not agree that the reckless throwing of a phone in the course of a domestic argument is within the definition of ‘violent or threatening behaviours’ in the absence of any threat or violence to the person of PC A.
“Further in this matter overall there is no evidence of a threat to or violence to PC A from the appellant.”
It added that had Mr Lewis thrown the phone with the intention of preventing his former partner from summoning help, the behaviour could have justified dismissal. However, it found that his actions were reckless but did not meet the legal definition of domestic violence under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
The tribunal concluded: “The reckless throwing of a phone without those intentions, and within a domestic argument in which both parties played their own part at the very end of a difficult break-up, would not amount to conduct that is especially serious or likely to damage public confidence in the police service.”
Mr Lewis was dismissed from North Wales Police in August 2024 following a misconduct hearing that found he had committed gross misconduct by throwing his ex-partner’s phone during an argument at her Buckley home.
That panel decided his off-duty conduct constituted domestic violence and ruled dismissal was the only appropriate outcome.
The appeals body, chaired by Sam Stein KC, substituted that decision for a finding of misconduct and issued a final written warning for two years. It also directed that Mr Lewis be re-admitted to the police service, with pay arrangements to be agreed between the parties.
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