PC who resigned found proven of gross misconduct in his absence

A PC who has since resigned from the Met, has been found proven of gross misconduct in his absence.

PC Benjamin Cassar who formally left last, Tuesday, 6 February and who was attached to the Roads and Transport Policing Command was the subject of a special case hearing held yesterday, Monday, 12 February.

PC Cassar was facing allegations that prior to his departure he had breached the Met’s standards of professional behaviour in respect of ‘discreditable conduct’.

This followed allegations that on seven separate occasions, between 5 – 20 April 2017, the officer had travelled on a South Eastern Railway service from Maidstone East to Bromley South station without a valid ticket or permit to travel.

It was further alleged that on each occasion, the officer had presented his police warrant card to station staff at Bromley South in order to pass through the ticket barriers when he was not authorised to do so.

As a result, on 26 September 2017, PC Cassar was convicted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court of seven counts of travelling on a railway without having previously paid his fare and with intent to avoid payment thereof.

He was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £2106.60.

However last December an amendment was made to Police Regulations which allowed police officers to resign or retire even if they are subject to misconduct proceedings. In which case, PC Cassar did.

After hearing all the evidence put before them the Chair found the allegations as proven. If the officer had still been serving, he would have been dismissed without notice.

PC Cassar’s name will still be submitted to be placed on the Police Barred List preventing future employment elsewhere in policing.