Police officer allegedly swapped bar code on £9.95 box of Krispy Kreme donuts with 7p bag of carrots
Police disciplinary hearing will hear claims that on duty police officer Simon Read swapped bar code on ?9,95 box of donuts for 7p bar code for a bag of carrots. The offence is alleged to have happened at Tesco Extra, Wisbech. Picture; TERRY HARRIS - Credit: © Terry Harris
A police officer who allegedly bought a £9.95 tray of Krispy Crème donuts from Tesco and then swapped the bar code for a 7p bag of carrots is to face a disciplinary hearing.
Twelve members of staff at Tesco Extra in Wisbech are currently self-isolating. - Credit: © Terry Harris
A two-day police misconduct hearing will hear a charge of ‘discreditable’ behaviour against PC Simon Read.
Brief details of the case against PC Read have been released by Cambridgeshire police ahead of the hearing later this week.
It claims that on February 10 this year, whilst on duty and in police uniform, he went shopping at Tesco Extra in Wisbech.
“You selected a cardboard tray containing 12 Krispy Kreme donuts that were priced at £9.95,” police allege.
PC Simon Read. Alleged Facts. On 10th February 2020, whilst on duty, you entered the Tesco Extra store in Wisbech in police uniform. 2. You selected a cardboard tray containing 12 Krispy Kreme donuts that were priced at £9.95. 3. The donut tray had a price barcode on it. 4. You then went to the fruit and vegetable area where you used the self-service scales to obtain a self-adhesive barcode price label for carrots with a price of £0.07 (7 pence). 5. You stuck the price label for the carrots on to the donut tray. 6. At the self-service checkout counter, you intentionally scanned the barcode for the carrots instead of the bar code for the donuts with the result that you were charged £0.07 for the donuts rather than £9.95. Tesco Extra, Wisbech Monday 16 November 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. - Credit: © Terry Harris
“The donut tray had a price barcode on it. You then went to the fruit and vegetable area where you used the self-service scales to obtain a self-adhesive barcode price label for carrots with a price of £0.07 (7 pence).”
The police report alleges that PC Read then “stuck the price label for the carrots on to the donut tray.
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“At the self-service checkout counter, you intentionally scanned the barcode for the carrots instead of the bar code for the donuts with the result that you were charged £0.07 for the donuts rather than £9.95”.
The hearing is being held in public but because of Covid-19 restrictions “public interest dictates that members of the public and media should be prevented from attending in person”.
The charges are of honesty and integrity in that PC Read “breached the standard of professional behaviour because you acted dishonestly and without integrity by knowingly paying £0.07 for 12 donuts when you knew that you should have paid £9.95”.
Discreditable conduct is also alleged in that his behaviour “brings discredit upon the police service and undermines confidence in it”.
The force alleges that “a reasonable member of the public, aware of all the facts, would be justifiably appalled that a police officer had acted dishonestly and without integrity”.
PC Read has been advised by Cambridgeshire Police that his behaviour is such that “your breach of the standards of professional behaviour is so serious that dismissal would be justified and consequently it amounts to gross misconduct”.
