Pc sacked for failing to pay for Jaffa Cakes

A police officer has been dismissed after failing to fully pay for Jaffa Cakes at a station charity sale.

51-year-old Chris Dwyer dropped 10p in a tin for the snacks but claimed he had paid the requested price of £1 when confronted by a colleague. However, the officer repeatedly changed his story when questioned further and said he could not remember what coins he had placed in the charity box at Halifax Police Station.

West Yorkshire Police said at around 10 pm on Jan 21, an officer had emptied the charity shop cash tin and left a £1 float in change. 30 minutes later, Pc Dwyer allegedly took two packets of Jaffa Cakes.

A force spokesman said: "The cash tin was checked and it was found to contain the same denominations of coins in the cash tin but with an extra two 5p coins." Pc Dwyer, who had served in the Navy for nearly 25 years before joining the police force in 2017, said any underpayment was a "genuine mistake", however, a misconduct panel found his evidence was, "evasive and an attempt to reduce his culpability" and issued him with instant dismissal.

Dept Supt Mark Long, of West Yorkshire Police's Professional Standards Directorate, said: "This officer's actions do not fit with the values of the organisation and he has been dishonest when challenged. It is accepted that the items involved were of a very low value but honesty and integrity is a fundamental quality of being a police employee."

The Johnson Partnership

Derby Crime Solicitors