3:50 pm, July 23, 2020
A police panel has ruled that an officer committed gross misconduct by covering up the fact he was running a car dealership with someone who had criminal connections.
No identification was allowed of anybody involved in the case or of the dealership, but an Avon and Somerset Police panel was told that ‘substantial amounts of money’ were involved, with transactions going from the business partner’s companies through his bank account, according to a report by the BBC.
In addition, luxury cars including Mercedes, Audis, BMWs and Range Rovers were given to him to drive.
Mark Ley-Morgan, on behalf of the force, told the panel: ‘This is an area of national concern – police officers associating with criminals – and we have multiple allegations proved.’
The officer – known only as Officer W – quit the force before the hearing and denied the allegations, telling the panel via a written statement: ‘The misconduct of officers involved in this investigation means I cannot possibly hope to have a fair hearing.’
Conceding that he had a business interest during 2018, he said he didn’t profit from it and wasn’t aware that he’d associated with anybody who was involved in crime, claiming that there’d been a sustained effort to discredit him
However, the panel, which was held remotely, ruled that Officer W had breached professional standards of honesty and integrity, confidentiality, conduct, orders and instructions, which amounted to gross misconduct, and that had he not resigned already, he would have been dismissed.
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