Police officer convicted of domestic abuse sentenced to unpaid work

Tariq Mahmood, a police officer aged 45, was convicted of domestic abuse against two women. He was found guilty of repeatedly kicking one of his victims and acting abusively towards a second woman, who was pregnant. The court heard that the offences were committed between April 2019 and February 2022 in Edinburgh, Newtongrange, and other locations in Midlothian. Mahmood was sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid work and was placed under supervision for two years. Additionally, he will be subject to non-harassment orders against his victims for four years. Police Scotland condemned his actions as contrary to the police service’s principles and praised the victims for their bravery in reporting the crimes. Mahmood, originally from Birmingham, previously worked for West Midlands Police before transferring to Police Scotland, and plans to resign from his position. The court emphasized that while Mahmood maintains his innocence, he has apologized for some of his behavior. The force clarified that he has not carried out any duties since his conviction, and that the matter will now be handled under conduct regulations. The case has sparked calls for officers convicted of such crimes to be sacked immediately.