Police officers who delayed attending a 999 call to go to McDonald's 'likely to keep their jobs'

Two police officers who delayed attending a 999 call about a suicide to get refreshments from McDonald's are likely to keep their jobs, a disciplinary hearing has ruled. 

PCs Gavin Bateman and Tony Stephenson, of the Metropolitan Police,  spent half-an-hour drinking tea and filling out paperwork before attending the home of a 22-year-old woman who had sent a suicidal message to a friend. 

But Fahima Begum was found dead when the officers arrived at her home, almost 40 minutes after a friend had called 999 and asked for an ambulance.  

On Monday the disciplinary hearing accepted that the officer's actions were an "honest mistake" and concluded that they had committed misconduct, but not gross misconduct meaning they will likely stay in the force. 

Akbar Khan, Chairman

Chairman Akbar Khan said: "This matter arises from an incident that took place on the 15 April 2015 when PC Bateman, the driver and PC Stephenson was the operator.

"The allegations are admitted by both, they accepted a breach of standard of professional behaviour.

"However they state that the behaviour amounted to only misconduct and then gross misconduct.

"The late attendance should not be conflated with the sad death of Miss Begum.

"Turning therefore to the facts, by accepting the CAD (computer aided dispatch) you indicated that you were en route to Miss Begum's address.

"You were not acting in accordance with the user manual because you were not actually en route.

"The delay in attending was not justified, you should have proceeded to the address straight away."

As the panel delivered it's ruling PC Bateman's dad, who sat at the back of the room, gave a sigh of relief.

The chairman said: "It was accepted that the IPCC concluded that the call should have been graded an 'I' grade from the outset, however no weight should be placed on this.

"An 'S' grade requires a police officer at the scene within 0-60 minutes, but this does not mean you have 60 minutes to get there, this is the maximum you should take.

"Both officers accepted poor judgement in decision to have tea on the go instead of going straight to the address and this poor decision making was no more than an honest mistake, the panel accepts these submissions.

"On the balance of probabilities that officers have breached the standards as alleged by the appropriate authority.

"In all of the circumstances the breach of standards of professional behaviour in relation to police officers amounts to misconduct only and not gross misconduct."