PC accused of eating pizza instead of responding to a call-out sacked for gross misconduct

PC 0709 Daniel Ward was dismissed with immediate effect after a two-day hearing in Goole which found his actions amounted to gross misconduct.

The allegations included telling the control room, who wanted him to go to Hull Royal Infirmary to take over a bed watch, that he was dealing with prisoners, when in fact he was eating pizza in the parade room at Clough Road Police Station.

An independent panel was told on another occasion he claimed he wasn't available to transport a prisoner because officers had come across a drunk on Pickering Road in Hull, when he was actually inside the police station on Pickering Road.

He was also accused of taking a day's unauthorised leave to go on a speed awareness course which he hadn’t told his line manager about.

An independent panel heard Mr Ward had been dishonest about his whereabouts and availability "on a number of occasions".

Detective Superintendent Matthew Baldwin said Mr Ward’s conduct was "dishonest" and fell “well short of the standards we expect”.

He said the first priority for the vast majority of staff was to serve their communities, adding: “We will not accept any officer or member of staff behaving in a way which fails to uphold their role and duties.

"It’s vital that we maintain the public’s trust and confidence by removing anyone from the force whose behaviour undermines this.”