Police officer flew to Turkey after calling in sick

A constabulary serviceman flew to Turkey for a vacation connected the aforesaid time that helium reported sick for duty, a misconduct sheet has heard.

Raja Khan, of Leicestershire Police, reported sick connected 5 October portion connected a remainder day, 2 days earlier his adjacent shift, earlier flying to Istanbul that aforesaid evening.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said suspicions had been raised aft PC Khan reported sick, with constabulary waiting for him erstwhile his level landed backmost astatine Stansted Airport connected 11 October.

A disciplinary proceeding ruled PC Khan, who resigned successful February, would person been dismissed had helium inactive been serving.

The IOPC said PC Khan had been contacted by his enactment manager connected 8 October and helium replied by text, saying helium was excessively sick to work.

He was fixed a sickness signifier to complete.

PC Khan past got a 3rd enactment to entree his laptop astatine location to taxable the sickness signifier connected his behalf and nonstop a confirmation email to his enactment manager, the IOPC added.

After constabulary met him astatine Stansted, PC Khan was arrested earlier being interviewed nether caution, but a determination was made not to see transgression charges.

The hearing, held connected Wednesday, concluded Mr Khan had breached the standards of constabulary nonrecreational behaviour for honesty and integrity, confidentiality, orders and instructions, and discreditable conduct.

Leicestershire Police Chief Constable Rob Nixon said: "This gross misconduct severely undermines the standards and estimation of the constabulary service.

"Former PC Khan deliberately misled the unit and his colleagues and besides compromised the information of accusation connected constabulary systems."

IOPC manager of operations Steve Noonan added: "[PC Khan] was dishonest astir his lack from enactment and compounded that by allowing an unauthorised idiosyncratic to entree his constabulary laptop.

"Such behaviour has nary spot successful policing and helium volition present beryllium placed connected the barred list, preventing him from aboriginal employment with the service."