A serving police officer with Dorset had his conviction overturned at crown court following his request for a review of a magistrates’ court conviction for a public order offence.
Due to Detective Inspector Mark Portelli, who is 45 years of age, appealing his original conviction at Southampton Magistrates’ Court in December 2024, Southampton Crown Court heard the case on Monday 7 April 2025.
The court overturned the conviction for an offence of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
The court case was in relation to an incident during the night of Saturday 30 March into the early hours of Sunday 31 March 2024 at the Canvas night club in Poole Hill in Bournemouth when DI Portelli was off duty.
A review of conduct will now be carried out by Dorset Police’s Professional Standards Department to ascertain if the Standards of Professional Behaviour were breached during this incident.