The former head of the Police Federation regularly engaged in "locker room bloke banter", his misconduct hearing has been told.

John Apter, who was a Hampshire Constabulary police officer before serving as chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, faces allegation of gross misconduct.

Martin Buhagiar, then Head of Communications of the Federation, told PC Apter's misconduct hearing – held at Hampshire Constabulary’s headquarters in Eastleigh – that he enjoyed banter with Vice Chairman Che-Paul Donald.

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However, Mr Buhagiar said if a woman was in the room "it was more professional."

Mr Buhagiar also told the panel that "the Police Federation was not a nice place to work" and "not a professional organisation."

He claimed that you "got used to" comments like the remark PC Apter allegedly made about widow Lissie Harper.

Speaking about the awards ceremony in January 2020 which Mrs Harper attended, Mr Buhagiar said the main priority was taking care of her as it was her first public appearance since her husband PC Andrew Harper's death.

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"Somebody said something along the lines of if she needs comforting we bring her in in the right way and if she needs a pause we afford her that pause," Mr Buhagiar said.

He noted they were in a huddle discussing logistics about the event and Mrs Harper's arrival.

"I remember him [PC Apter] saying something like 'I'd like to comfort her in my hotel room'.

"It took me a few seconds to hear it because at first I took it as him saying he could look after her, but then the penny dropped and there was an awkward silence."

Mr Buhagiar said after the awkward silence he quickly wrapped up the conversation and the group of colleagues disbanded.

When asked why he didn't call out PC Apter immediately, Mr Buhagiar said there was a culture within the Federation whereby it was not unusual to hear comments like that.

He said: "My style was never to confront people in a crowd.”

Mr Buhagiar said he raised the issue about PC Apter's comment about Mrs Harper days later when the teamed returned to its HQ in Leatherhead, Surrey.

He said staff would continually talk about inappropriate comments or behaviour made by other staff and that he was trying to stamp it out.

Mr Buhagiar claimed that at the 2020 Police Bravery Awards, held in October 2021 due to Covid delays, PC Apter swigged from a hip flask throughout the evening and got drunk.

Mr Buhagiar said at the end of the evening PC Apter filmed a short video interview about how the night went, but it could not be used because he was too drunk.

“It was something we had meetings about to try to change, to try to make things more professional," said Mr Buhagiar

He went on to claim that important matters were kept secret from him - including the two allegations that PC Apter made sexualised comments about Mrs Harper and a colleague.

Mr Buhagiar, who left the Federation in 2022 and set up his own communications business, said he believes the organisation still has the same culture.

The hearing continues - PC Apter denies gross misconduct.