Former Dundee cop sacked and fined over Bash Street brawl

Former community cop Craig Tosh admitted charges of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner and “violently” resisting arrest following the incident in Dundee’s Bash Street, outside the city’s Grosvenor Casino on 18 December 2016. Tosh had been on a night out at the establishment and had attempted to report an alleged assault on him within the premises. But he became angry when his then-fellow officers let those he accused of attacking him go. Tosh was alleged to have assaulted three officers during the incident, though his not guilty pleas to those charges were accepted. Dundee Sheriff Court heard during the incident Tosh was arrested by constables Matthew Rhind, James Buchanan, Kieran Bradley and Hamish Fenton. But after handcuffs had been placed on the then serving officer he struggled violently, shouted and swore at the cops, threatened them with violence and attempted to fight with them. Tosh then prevented the second handcuff from being applied and tried to break free. He demanded to have the cuffs removed and refused to enter a police vehicle before making more threats of violence towards the officers. Tosh was taken to a police station outwith the Tayside jurisdiction as he was a serving officer. During the journey to Stirling he repeatedly kicked and punched the walls of a police vehicle, failed to stop and made “direct threats of violence” towards PCs Rhind and Bradley. Tosh, 43, of Constitution Street in Dundee, admitted two charges on summary complaint on the day he was due to stand trial. His partner, Natalie Finnon, had her not guilty pleas to charges of police assault, resisting arrest and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner accepted by the Crown. His solicitor, Gary McIlravey, said there had been an earlier incident and things had escalated when those he believed to have attacked him were allowed to walk away. Sheriff George Way fined Tosh £500. Tosh was suspended following the incidents and was eventually dismissed from his post in Police Scotland’s Tayside Division. He was a well known community officer in the Ardler area of the city during his police career.