Black veteran wrongly called thief and banned from every Morrisons

An ex-police sergeant who was banned from each Morrisons store successful the UK aft being wrongly accused of shoplifting has called for an apology.

Jez Daniels believes helium was "racially profiled" by staff, who accused him of acting suspiciously portion buying rosé vino and chocolates astatine a store successful Newport.

He said helium was wearing a look disguise due to the fact that of Covid restrictions astatine the time, adding: "They saw a achromatic feline with his look covered up and assumed helium indispensable beryllium present to steal."

Morrisons said it did not privation to comment.

Mr Daniels, an RAF seasoned successful his 40s, said helium was present "very uncomfortable" successful supermarkets.

It was successful February 2022, during the Covid pandemic, that helium was followed astir the Morrisons store successful Rogerstone, Newport.

"I was wearing a surgical-style look disguise - successful compliance with store policy, with Welsh authorities government arsenic well," Mr Daniels said.

He intended to bargain wine, and cocoa for his children - but said helium became alert of unit pursuing him.

"I knew consecutive distant that they decided I was a thief," helium said.

"I thought, OK, well, if I transportation connected with what I'm doing, the unit volition realise I'm not trying to bargain - and they'll permission maine alone."

He past picked up immoderate crisps, and said helium adjacent held his buying container unfastened to amusement helium was not trying to fell anything.

Mr Daniels, who served arsenic a constabulary serviceman successful 2 forces, and was besides a unpaid firefighter, said: "They cornered maine successful the aisle.

"They had unit either extremity - I started to fearfulness for my safety."

He decided to leave, which is erstwhile helium was approached by a unit subordinate who told him helium was banned and to get out.

"I was precise disappointed," helium added.

"To beryllium blunt, I deliberation it's due to the fact that they saw a achromatic feline with his look covered up and past they conscionable assumed helium indispensable beryllium successful present to steal."

He contacted Morrisons' caput office, but said helium felt "gaslit" by their response.

BBC Wales has seen an email from the institution to Mr Daniels, which reads: "You are present nary longer capable to store with america oregon participate a Morrisons store.

"The crushed for this determination is owed to your caller behaviour arsenic observed successful the store."

In different documents seen by BBC Wales, a unit subordinate described Mr Daniels arsenic shouting "aggressive abusive words".

Another worker said they became suspicious erstwhile helium "entered the store without a handbasket oregon trolley", and went "straight to the intoxicant aisle".

Mr Daniels said helium was besides accused of picking up £200-worth of spirits - thing helium denies.

"Since the Morrisons incident, I've spoken to a batch of people, achromatic people," helium said.

"I've told them immoderate of the things that Morrisons person said was suspicious - and they accidental 'but I bash that, I've ne'er been stopped'."

Mr Daniels runs a cybersecurity concern from his bureau successful Newport and counts the UK authorities among his clients.

He utilized his nonrecreational cognition to marque a Data Subject Access Request - this required the supermarket to supply CCTV footage and unit statements astir him.

After watching the CCTV footage, Mr Daniels said helium "felt vindicated".

He said helium had been starting to uncertainty his representation of what happened, but added: "The CCTV recordings matched my recollection of events, they did not amusement what Morrisons claimed.

“They did not amusement maine being aggressive. They did not amusement maine abandoning trolleys. They did not amusement maine successful possession of £200-worth of spirits.

"Even conscionable talking astir it present is triggering."

Mr Daniels past confronted Morrisons with its ain footage.

BBC Wales has seen an email from the institution acknowledging "discrepancies successful the statements provided by the store and what the CCTV footage shows" - but did not remark connected allegations helium took £200-worth of alcohol.

The email said "as a motion of goodwill" it was lifting the ban, but it continued to impeach Mr Daniels of "acting suspiciously" and behaving aggressively.

It added determination was "no radical information down the complaint", and a unit subordinate denied being racist.

Mr Daniels said helium present wants an apology and an acknowledgement what happened was wrong.

He said: "They insisted it was each my responsibility - what I would similar present is designation from Morrisons that their unit were wrong."

He present tries to debar supermarkets, with the incidental leaving him feeling "anxious and fearful".

"It's conscionable the full supermarket environment, I'm precise uncomfortable successful it, truthful I bash my buying online," helium said.

Mr Daniels is truthful acrophobic astir "consumer radical profiling" - wherever shoppers judge they are approached due to the fact that of the colour of their tegument - that helium has taught his children "defensive techniques" to debar being accused of shoplifting.

"It's not a caller improvement - I've lived present each my life," helium said.

"It's lone truly successful the past 5 years that the remainder of nine are starting to admit it really does exist."