Rookie policeman sacked for calling in sick to take trips to the races

A rookie police officer who pulled three sickies so he could go and watch horse racing has been sacked.

Pc Jonathan Adams was dismissed without notice by a Gloucestershire Police disciplinary hearing after they proved allegations of gross misconduct.

He pulled three ‘sickies‘ to go Royal Ascot – where was captured on television celebrating a win – and twice to Nottingham race course during a nine-month period.

Alex Lock, chairman of the panel, said where gross misconduct had been proven the appropriate sanction was dismissal without notice but a final written warning could be given in certain circumstances.

He said: ”It is important that police officers are honest and that public confidence should be upheld.

“In the circumstances we conclude that dismissal without notice is appropriate in order to maintain public confidence in the force.”

The panel had come to a unanimous conclusion finding all three allegations proven.

Mr Lock added: ”We are forced to conclude that Pc Adams was not suffering the degree of sickness that he claimed he was.

“We accept that Barton Street was a difficult and high pressured working environment and accept there were issues of a high turnover of supervisory staff and Pc Adams was facing a high work load.

“We accept these three areas had a detrimental impact to his health.”

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Pc Adams part-owned two horses in the Ontoawinner syndicate and in September 2015 and April 2016 he reported sick to go to Nottingham race course to see a horse he owned a 2.5% stake in.

The following June he claimed to be ill but went to Royal Ascot meeting his then girlfriend and staying overnight in a hotel.

Television footage of him celebrating at Ascot as Quiet Reflection, a horse owned by his syndicate, won the Commonwealth Cup was played to the hearing.

He was seen jumping around and celebrating the horse’s win with other members of the syndicate.

Stephen Morley, presenting the case for the force, told the hearing: “There is no dispute that he reported sick and there is no dispute that he did go to the races.

“Pc Adams says that he found that going to the horse racing was a good coping mechanism and making him feel better.

“We do not accept he was sick at all. He was throwing a sickie to go horse racing.”

After the panel had found the allegations proven, Richard Shepherd, representing Pc Adams, urged them not to sack the officer.

He said: ”This officer could continue to serve with distinction and in a very few short years would have put this behind him.

“This is an officer that can make a fundamental difference despite this huge error he made in 2015 and 2016.”

Pc Adams can appeal the panel’s decisions to the Police Appeals Tribunal

Afterwards, Deputy Chief Constable Jon Stratford said: “The matters identified in the hearing were clearly unacceptable and not befitting an officer.

“We are aware that our officers have a high workload at this time, which makes it all the more unacceptable for an officer to let their colleagues down in this way.”

He added: “We recognise the impact this can have on welfare and have a number of safeguards in place, including a wellbeing programme and an occupational health nurse who specialises in mental health, to help ensure the welfare of our officers.”