North Yorkshire police officer sacked after giving 'misleading and dishonest account' of his abilities in job application

A former North Yorkshire Police officer, who lied about his capabilities and said he was unable to take on front-line duties or wear a uniform, has been found guilty of gross misconduct.
By Nathan Hyde
Published 2nd Nov 2021, 07:21 BST
Updated 2nd Nov 2021, 07:22 BST

Robert Higgs’ actions were examined during a four-day misconduct hearing in Northallerton in October after he was accused of providing a “misleading and dishonest account” of his abilities to superior officers and medical professionals.

According to the force, the former police constable claimed he could not serve on the frontline in uniform or be placed in a pressurised environment or volatile situations between February 2019 and October 2020.

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But the misconduct panel was told that Higgs was caught out when he applied to join the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) and failed to mention any of these limitations.

North Yorkshire Police headquarters at Alverton CourtNorth Yorkshire Police headquarters at Alverton Court
North Yorkshire Police headquarters at Alverton Court
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In a statement, the force said: “The panel concluded that the allegations had been proved and amounted to gross misconduct. The sanction of the panel was that, had the former officer still been serving with North Yorkshire Police, he would have been dismissed.”

He has also been barred from joining another police force in the UK.