Thames Valley Police constable ate 7 canteen breakfasts without paying for them

Officer found to have committed gross misconduct

A former Thames Valley Police constable committed gross misconduct after eating seven breakfasts without paying for them.

Former Pc Jamie Larman would have been dismissed had he still been serving, an accelerated misconduct hearing concluded.

Mr Larman, who had been a police constable in training for two weeks, ate up to seven full English breakfasts at the Police Training Centre canteen in Sulhamstead between January 29 and February 6, 2020, without paying.

This was despite him knowing that he was not entitled to do so, a misconduct hearing heard on Thursday, May 14.

Mr Larman lived less than 20 miles from Sulhamstead and was not entitled to free meals and was advised as such in pre-joining instructions.

Police documents said that when Mr Larman joined his fellow students for breakfast he said: “I’m not entitled to this, but I should be, I only live just inside the boundary.”

Mr Larman resigned from the force on February 10.

Documents said that Mr Larman's reason for his actions were "to build rapport with colleagues who met early for
breakfast ahead of training."

However Chief Constable John Campbell said: "I consider this nonsense. He could still have fulfilled this objective by paying for his own food and not stealing from TVP.

"To compound this, there is evidence that he had previously behaved similarly whilst a PCSO. He was fully aware of the Force rules and that he therefore was not entitled to free food.

"It was not a ‘mistake’ as he suggests, it was wilful and dishonest. He has no place in TVP."

He admitted the breaches and the hearing concluded that he had breached the Standard of Professional Behaviour in relation to Honesty and Integrity and that his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct.

It concluded that Mr Larman's behaviour was dishonest and that he did not act with integrity.

The conduct was deemed serious enough that dismissal would have been justified had he still been serving.

The hearing, chaired by Mr Campbell, was held via telephone conference call due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Thames Valley Police said that holding the hearing in public would present an unnecessary risk to the health of attendees.

Mr Larman will be placed on the College of Policing’s barred list, meaning he will be unable to apply for employment with another force.