I'm no racist, says sacked policeman

Timothy Guest, 39, was pulled-up before a disciplinary panel after saying 'we almost potted the black,' when an ethnic youth stepped in front of a car he was travelling in with fellow other officers.

The father-of-four insists he is no racist and the remark was an innocent pun not intended to cause offence. He will appeal if the decision of the panel is upheld by the Chief Constable on Thursday.

He said: "I know it was an inappropriate comment and I was ready to accept punishment. But does the punishment really match the crime? There is not a racist bone in my body and to lose my job over what was a flippant comment seems ridiculous."

Mr Guest, who has served as a beat officer in Hailsham for two-and-and-half years, was being driven back to his station with four colleagues after a team-building session when he made the remark last November.

A black teenager crossed the road in front of the car with a white friend, whereupon PC Guest said: "Watch the Macaroon - we almost potted the black."

A sergeant in the car reported the comments to senior officers and PC Guest was suspended on full pay.

He expected to be reprimanded or lose two days' wages, so was flabbergasted when he was fired from his 23,000-a-year job.

He added: "There are many other cases where officers have made racist comments, sometimes far worse, and got a slap on the wrist."

Only last month a Brighton detective was fined five days' pay for telling a colleague she had been promoted because of her colour.

Mr Guest, a well-known local sportsman, said: "Where's the consistency? It's a knee-jerk reaction to political correctness."

The incident happened the week after the Secret Policeman revelations, in which a BBC reporter unearthed racism in Greater Manchester police force.

Dozens of friends and colleagues, both black and white, have sprung to Mr Guest's defence. He is also being supported by the Police Federation. He added: "I worked as a personnel officer in Peckham before the police.

"Why would they employ a racist in such a job in an area with a very high ethnic population? Black friends of mine have already written to the Chief Constable telling them I am not a racist.

"I am from travelling stock and you hear the work 'pikey' used quite openly in police station.

"Why is that acceptable and a harmless joke I made not? The person concerned did not even hear the comment.

"It was a politically expedient decision."

Malaysian friend Audrey Chia has known Mr Guest for 16 years.

She said: "I'm all for political correctness but this is political correctness gone mad. Tim has never made a racist comment in my company.

"He even asked me to be Godmother to his children.

He would agree that the comment he made was unwise given the current climate in the police force, but there has to be some sense of proportion and common sense here."