A senior police officer responsible for domestic violence cases has been convicted of a drunken outburst towards his partner following a bottomless brunch.
Detective Inspector Mark Portelli, 45, subjected his partner to a barrage of verbal abuse after he was kicked out of the Canvas nightclub in Bournemouth, Dorset, in the early hours of March 31 this year.
The officer who has served 19 years on the force, had downed cocktails and prosecco at a boozy bottomless brunch earlier in the day, before shouting ‘you stupid fucking b****’.
Portelli was arrested by officers from the same police force he serves in as he hurled abuse at his girlfriend and he even branded her a ‘c***’.
On Wednesday, after a one-day trial at Southampton Magistrates’ Court, Hampshire, the Dorset Police officer was found guilty of using threatening or abusive words likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
Portelli from Poole, Dorset, who works in the high harm unit of Dorset Police covering domestic violence, was also accused of assaulting three staff members at the nightclub but the charges were withdrawn at court today.
He was fined £500 and ordered to pay the prosecution’s costs of £620 and a victim surcharge of £200.
Portelli argued his offensive words were directed at himself and not his partner, but District Judge Anthony Callaway rejected his argument.
Dorset Police Detective Inspector Mark Portelli (pictured) at Southampton Magistrates’ Court where he was found guilty of using threatening or abusive words likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress
The incident took place outside of Canvas nightclub in Bournemouth in the early hours of March 31
Portelli was arrested as him as he hurled the abuse at his girlfriend. Pictured Southampton Magistrates Court
Sentencing DI Portelli, Judge Callaway said: ‘I accept that this was an aberration, you have let yourself down.
‘The public expects officers to set an example and you did not.’
Portelli told the court he had consumed several cocktails and glasses of prosecco at the bottomless brunch, a meal where guests are given unlimited alcoholic drinks for a set period of time, before leaving for another bar where he continued to drink.
He said the incident was a ‘regrettable burst of anger’ and that he was annoyed with himself.
Portelli said: ‘I was not looking to achieve anything, it was a regrettable burst of anger.
‘Although I was looking in the direction of my partner it was not directed at her. I was annoyed with myself.’
Portelli was also involved in a similar case in 2019 when one of his subordinates Detective Constable David Alway was accused of pushing his wife to the ground during an argument.
Judge Callaway outlined the case, saying that his ejection from Canvas and arrest on March 31 this year had ‘no relevance’ to the offence which happened afterwards.
The officer who has served 19 years in the police downed cocktails and prosecco at a boozy bottomless brunch
Portelli argued his offensive words were directed at himself and not his partner during the outburst
‘There was an incident within the club that led to [DI Portelli’s] arrest involving common assault of three named persons who worked for the club,’ he said.
‘This may have predicated the arrest but it has nothing to do with this incident.
‘He started drinking at five o’clock in the afternoon, he consumed a quantity of drink, no offence in that.
‘PC [Luke] Booth and PC [Robert] Cleary were deployed to an incident, Portelli was subject to an arrest.
‘According to PC Cleary, he uttered ‘you stupid fucking twat’ looking back at the nightclub and commented ‘you stupid fucking bitch, stupid fucking c***’.
‘The defendant was arrested and interviewed, he was annoyed about this arrest and said the comments were not directed at any party.
‘I think they were directed to a particular person, the statements were abusive and uttered over a specific period of time whilst [DI Portelli] was being arrested and on that basis, I find him guilty.’
Speaking after the hearing, Deputy Chief Constable of Dorset Police Rachel Farrell said: ‘DI Portelli’s actions on the night in question clearly fell well below the expectations of behaviour for our officers and staff.. We took swift action to arrest, suspend and investigate the officer.
‘Members of the public quite rightly expect that our officers and staff should strive to adhere to the highest of standards in their behaviour, even when not on duty.
‘I know our own officers and staff will also feel very let down by a fellow officer who has jeopardised the trust and confidence the public have in us.’
She also added that Portelli will now face misconduct proceedings.
The assault charges against Portelli were withdrawn by the prosecution because the alleged victims, three nightclub staff members, did not attend the trial.
