Police officer who saved a drowning woman feared he would be arrested for 'trying to be a hero'

"Do you know what was going through my mind at that time?" the officer told The Telegraph.

"If I hit her with the ring, or she attempts to get it and gets dragged away I'm up for manslaughter because professional standards will tell me 'you weren't supposed to go in. You were trying to be a hero'."

Castle successfully rescued the woman and received a national bravery award for his actions.

Four months after the river rescue, Castle was dismissed for gross misconduct following an arrest in January 2024.

The 46-year-old father of three detained a 15-year-old suspected of assaulting an elderly man whilst riding an e-scooter but “failed to treat [the suspect] with courtesy and respect”.

Body-worn footage shows Castle holding the teenager on the ground whilst telling him to "stop screaming like a b****".

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A knife with a three-inch blade fell from the youth's pocket during the arrest.

The teenager suffered no injuries and received an out-of-court disposal for knife possession.

However, two junior colleagues who assisted in the arrest complained about Castle's conduct.

Castle said: "My wife, Denise and our daughters are now going to have to completely change our lives. I don't know if we can still live here."

Following Castle's dismissal, teenagers have been taunting officers in Bournemouth town centre, according to a serving officer.

He said: "Hordes of youths" have been "getting in their faces and mocking them with lines like, 'Ha ha, I can do whatever I like and you can't touch me now or I'll just get you fired'."

Former chief inspector Chris Amey established a fundraising page that has raised nearly £50,000 for Castle.

GB News has contacted Dorset Police for comment.