A police officer who claimed she was not a “miracle worker” when asked to tend to a man who had been knocked unconscious – and ultimately died – has faced “management action” from Hertfordshire Constabulary.

Bradley Creswell, 21, was killed after he was assaulted on two separate occasions by Ridwaan Shaikh, who was jailed for manslaughter, during a night out in Watford on September 18 last year.

An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) was subsequently set up to assess whether more could have been done to save him.

It emerged that one officer, referred to as Police Constable L, had “a case to answer for misconduct” for the way she behaved during that evening.

And while talk of gross misconduct and criminal offences were dismissed, the Commission took issue with the “manner in which she dealt with the witnesses” who informed her of the initial assault.

She told them she had not seen the attack because she did not have eyes in the back of her head and that, as one of only 12 police officers on duty covering about 3,000 people in Watford Town Centre, she was not “a f***ing miracle worker”.

One witness said: “I’ve just seen him get whacked though. I’m not being funny, I’ve just seen some geezer punch him…the geezer just run up there.”

He was unable to identify the attacker and PC L said she was tired of the “culture of police hating”.

The IPCC noted that she could have done more to identify Shaikh, who went on to attack Mr Cresswell a second time, delivering a fatal blow in The Parade. 

Hertfordshire Police agreed with the conclusions and have since dealt with the officer in question.

It said: “Mr Cresswell tragically died after he was assaulted on two separate occasions by Ridwaan Shaikh who was subsequently convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison.

“Whilst the IPCC report states that there was no compelling rationale for police to monitor Mr Cresswell and Mr Shaikh prior to the second altercation one officer may have done more at the time to identify Mr Shaikh.

“Hertfordshire Constabulary has agreed with the conclusion of the IPCC and the officer has already received management action.”

The report also found that there was no evidence supporting PC L’s claim that she had asked CCTV officers about the assault.

When challenged on this, she said: “When writing my statement some hours later, feeling exhausted and having dealt with the distressing incident of Bradley’s death after 14 plus hours on shift, I wrote in my statement that I had asked CCTV if they had seen anything due to an honestly held belief that I would have carried out this action.

“The first time I was aware that I hadn’t, was upon receipt of these allegations.”