A POLICE officer faces the sack after a racist jibe left colleagues shocked.
PC Nichola Irvine, 52, made the remark at Glasgow's Helen Street police office on March 1, 2023.
Irvine's comment came amid claims that cleaners were unhappy about doing their job at the station. The constable said in response: "It's like a prostitute complaining about giving a b***job to a reeking P**i."
One fellow officer was so sickened by the slur she reported it to her bosses. It led to Irvine appearing in the dock at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
She faces the end of her 15-year police career after she was found guilty of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner, which was said to be racially aggravated.
The court heard that Irvine — who worked in the divisional co-ordination unit — had initially been talking with PCs Steven Love and Craig Blair that day. PC Laura Wylie later joined in with the conversation about the cleanliness of the building.
Irvine said in her evidence: "Miss Wylie started to laugh because Craig and Steven were moaning about the cleaners complaining about the state of the men's toilets."
PC Love told the court that Irvine then made the racial and sexual remark. PC Wylie backed up PC Love but stated that the word used was "humming" instead of "reeking."
PC Love responded to the remark by covering his face with his hands while PC Wylie was in "utter shock" and told Irvine off about using racial stereotypes.
The matter was reported to senior members of staff several days later by PC Wylie. It led to Irvine being suspended in March 2023. This remains the case and she is subject to an ongoing disciplinary process.
Irvine denied in court making the racial comment, stating to her lawyer Iain Cahill, that she instead said: "Wouldn't it be good if we just got on with our jobs?"
She added that her two colleagues were "100% mistaken" with their claims.
When convicting Irvine, Sheriff Diana McConnell said: "I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt you made the comment that was abusive, vulgar and disparaging. You used a racial slur.In the whole context, it is likely that this would cause a reasonable person to suffer alarm.You were reckless to whether your conduct would cause alarm."
Sheriff McConnell fined Irvine a total of £520.
