A former volunteer police officer has spoken out after being charged with dangerous driving after a crash involving an unlicensed and uninsured drink driver.
The officer, Special Sergeant Martin Webb, 60, was taken to hospital after the crash by the corner of Millers Road and Compton Road, Brighton.
Sussex Police said: “A former Sussex Police volunteer officer has been charged with dangerous driving.
“Ex-Special Sergeant Martin Webb, 60, will appear at Guildford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 28 January 2025.
“The charge was authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) following a local force investigation into a collision in Brighton, at the junction of Millers Road and Compton Road, on Sunday 28 April 2024 involving a car and a marked police vehicle.
“The driver of the car was arrested and later convicted of driving over the legal alcohol limit, two counts of driving without valid insurance, two counts of failing to comply with a preliminary test and one count of failing to stop.
“Webb resigned from his position as a Special Police Sergeant in September.”
The former sergeant, who is also a businessman, television presenter and author, had spent nine years as a volunteer officer, working two unpaid shifts a week.
He was full of praise for those he worked alongside but said: “After an incident in April in which a drunk driver speeding through town swerved on to the wrong side of the road and crashed head-on into the marked police car I was driving (deliberately, I thought) I saw the ugly, nasty side of Sussex Police.
“They alienated me, bullied me, called me a liar, offered zero support (despite me getting hurt) and broke a whole raft of their own rules and regulations.
“Over the past eight months, I witnessed first-hand two-tier policing, a complete lack of leadership or common sense and their disregard for what’s in the public good.
“They treated the drunk driver more leniently than they treated me, which is ironic considering that the Chief Constable, Jo Shiner, is the national lead for roads policing.
“But they picked the wrong person to throw under the bus … I don’t need Sussex Police for a reference, salary or pension.
“I’ve got nothing to lose by telling the truth – and I know that the best way to stand up to bullies is to call them out.”
With three medals as well as a chief’s commendation for saving the life of a suicidal man, Webb will go to court with an exemplary record.
He said: “I caught and arrested a paedophile, saved other lives and did whatever I could to make my community a safer place to live.”
He denies dangerous driving and added: “A culture has developed within Sussex Police whereby it feels that if there’s any hint of an offence being committed – which I believe they are entirely wrong about in my case – they will always defer to the court rather than (use) their own common sense to make a decision.
“This is down to the high level of criticism of the police in the past and public perceptions of things being covered up – I get that and, of course, things need to be investigated.
“But things have probably gone too far now and they suspend, sack or prosecute officers for any hint of anything that might embarrass the organisation.
“There is a real fear among officers that they’ll be the next baby thrown out with the proverbial bath water.
“I’ve done nothing wrong and yet I feel like I’ve been treated like a disposable worthless item – and Sussex Police have done absolutely nothing to change that perception.”
Well done Martin Webb for standing up to Sussex Police’s bully-boy tactics against their own officers and former officers. Off-hand, I can think of a few other officers and former officers who were investigated for years, harassed, undermined and left utterly traumatised by Sussex Police.
PC Welfare – acquitted in July 2024 following a harrowing ordeal at the hands of Sussex Police and the IOPC who colluded to try one approach after the other to convict or discipline the officer who was repeatedly found not guilty or acquitted. He had been dragged through disciplinary and court proceedings until 2024 following an incident that happened in 2019.
PC Corker – charges dropped at Crown Court in August 2024 following a tragic incident in April 2022. At the opening day of his trial – over 2 years since the incident, the prosecution and Judge agreed that there was no case to answer as the officer had been trying to AVOID the pedestrian who had run out in front of his vehicle. Now he has to wait to hear when/whether Sussex Police are going to charge him with gross misconduct.
PC Kyle – this matter goes all the way back to 2017 when PC Kyle was responding, armed only with a Taser, to what he believed was a terrorist attack in the city centre. Whilst passing a queue of stationary traffic he collided with a pedestrian who suffered leg injuries and broken ribs. From the very beginning, the pedestrian, who made a full recovery was a vocal critic of the prosecution of PC Kyle saying that he had panicked and jumped the wrong way – right into the path of the police vehicle. Nevertheless, Sussex Police, the IOPC and CPS prosecuted him for dangerous driving which was dropped at court when the CPS found that the pedestrian was supporting PC Kyle. Despite this, they still pursued PC Kyle for careless driving. The District Judge, begrudgingly convicted PC Kyle of careless driving, giving him a conditional discharge describing the incident as an ‘unfortunate error’. Sussex Police then pursued PC Kyle for gross misconduct, with the panel eventually making it clear that there was no case to answer. PC Kyle resigned from the force due to the stress of the various proceedings against him.
Don’t get me wrong, when police officers genuinely do wrong they should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. An example of this was Sussex PC Martin Harris – now a convicted sex offender for criminal acts committed whilst a serving officer.
But the relentless pursuit of officers simply trying to do their jobs is questionable. Officers waiting years and years to face gross misconduct charges, many of whom have already left the force is shocking. The traumatic effect on them and their families is horrific – I believe that Martin Webb was arrested at home in front of his family on New Years Eve relating to an offence that happened in April. Is this really necessary? Is this really proportionate? Or is this a bullying tactic employed by Sussex Police to demean and humiliate those who they have targetted?
Morale within Sussex Police is at an all-time low with sickness rates at an all-time high due to stress and lack of support by Sussex Police. It’s only a matter of time before an officer commits suicide due to the intolerable conditions within this organisation.
It’s time for a root and branch review of how Sussex Police treats their officers, how disciplinary matters are investigated and whether Chief Constable Jo Shiner is really the right person to lead this police force.
As a retired skipper of Avon and Somerset, I commend you for your detailed reply. It appears all of the UK forces (sorry, Services!) are going politically correct/woke insane and are queuing up to throw their staff under the bus for political brownie points. Thank god I’m retired. The job is f¥ck3d
Seems to be something missing, if this is as clear cut as printed then CPS would probably decline prosecution, or ??
Exactly. The CPS makes the decision to prosecute or not and not Sussex Police.
We need more rozzers like him. Possibly consider standing at the next election?
The police and CPS often seem to work in tandem, but often when an officer finds themselves in a situation where it “could” just mildly appear they’re at fault, the police will almost always prioritise protecting their force reputation above anything else (would be interested to see the figures!)
Unfortunately, there appears to be a significant number of ladder climbing bullies focused on promotions, along with a mix of thugs and young recruits drawn to the thrill of driving fast cars. This can range from the bottom right up to high ranking internal affairs. It’s a shame because there are many hardworking, decent officers who genuinely want to make a difference but are constantly undermined by institutionalised bullying. Shame on those who perpetuate this toxic culture. To Martin Webb : if you had been a Freemason what’s the bet you would not be in this position!!!
Sussex Police has lost the respect of the people and appears to be a badly managed organisation that is embroiled in scandal after scandal , as regularly reported in the papers.
Yes but you have to remember that Sussex Police has a history of failed prosecutions against its own officers relating to allegations of traffic offences. And don’t forget, the CPS are only going with the evidence as it’s presented to them.
And it was Sussex Police who made the decision to arrest him in front of his family on new years eve when they could have invited him to attend a police station together with his solicitor.
Webb vs two tier Kier
I didn’t realise that Kier Starmer was PM in April 2024. Isn’t it nice you get to apply a little phrase like “two tier Kier” to a situation that you don’t approve of?
really appalling and shocking mis-treatment of one of their colleagues… just shows exactly the type of people many of them are though… vile, narcissistic, psychopathic bullies that don’t give a damn about the people they tread and crap on, whether it’s one of their own who has given very good public service for nothing… in fact, that’s probably why the resentment towards him comes from
This man should stand for Sussex PCC and drive change from that position. Well done for speaking out, it’s happening everywhere.
I’ve seen similar tactics being employed with other emergency services as well. Something I always taught my mentees, the company is not your friend, you make sure your paperwork is spotless, and don’t stick your neck out, because the second there is any spot of bother – you’re on your own.