A FEMALE cop who was sacked for her drunk racist rant at an Asian takeaway has got her job back and £15k in backpay.

Katie Barratt, 22, was accused of using the terms 'f***ing n*****' and 'f***ing p***s' at the Spice of Punjab takeaway in Newcastle city centre back in 2017.

PC Corey Bradley and PC Alex Downs, who were with her on the evening of December 14, 2017, told a hearing last year that she was intoxicated, unable to walk properly and slurring her words.

PC Barratt said in the restaurant: "I wish these f****** p**** would hurry up with my pizza".

She denied using the word “n*****” and disputed the accounts of two fellow officers who testified against her, but did accept that she was drunk.

Sadly it confirms a stereotype that is unfortunately held in some communities about the police

Yesterday, in a drastic turnaround, a panel overruled her "unreasonable" dismissal.

Northumbria Police Force's lawyer Steven Reid fought to block her return, claiming her slurs would "seriously damage" the reputation of the police.

He said the force felt no racism from an officer – on or off-duty – was ever acceptable.

Mr Reid added: "Sadly it confirms a stereotype that is unfortunately held in some communities about the police."

But a three-person panel downgraded her punishment to a final warning after two hours of deliberations.

Questions will now also be asked whether PC Barratt can and will work police Asian communities.

'NOT THE WORST KIND OF RACISM'

PC Barratt accepted “it was only luck” nobody else but her colleagues heard her slurs, adding: “She knew she was being racist”.

“Her prejudice on that evening leaked out.”

Her own barrister Guy Ladenburg said the slurs she used were an "abomination".

But he did tell the hearing she felt that she shouldn't have been sacked "because it is not the worst kind of racism".

Instead he claimed it was a one-off for which she should be given a second chance rather than the "nuclear option" of dismissal.

She and her mum wept as she was given the green light to resume her promising career of being an officer, which has been her lifelong dream.

The panel's chair Dorian Lovell-Park said it "roundly condemned" her comments – but then wished her luck with resuming her career.

Detective Superintendent Sav Patsalos, head of Northumbria Police’s professional standards department, said: “We acknowledge the decision of the independent panel and will now take some time to review its findings.

“It is important to recognise that the decision to dismiss PC Barratt was taken by an independent panel and it was within the officer’s rights to appeal this decision.

“A second independent panel has today overturned the decision to dismiss the officer but they agreed the language she used was unacceptable and agreed with the finding of gross misconduct.

“This was recognised by a colleague who rightly came forward to report the comments and this reflects the culture within the Force where people have the confidence to speak up and challenge this kind of behaviour.

“We expect officers and staff to maintain the highest levels of professionalism at all times and I want to assure the public that we are committed to taking positive action when individuals fall below the expected standards of behaviour.”

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