Hertfordshire police officer who lied about jury duty for time off sacked

PC Musa Khalek lied to superiors about being needed for jury duty for two weeks

A "well respected" police officer who took two weeks off after lying about having jury service has been sacked following a misconduct hearing.

Ex-PC Musa Khalek admitted lying to his superiors at a hearing held on Friday.

He had been due to sit on a jury but was dismissed by the court, a fact he failed to tell his superiors.

The Hertfordshire Constabulary officer took "unauthorised leave at public expense", according to the force's chief constable.

He was due to sit on a jury for two weeks, starting on 12 August 2022 but was stood down by the courts on 17 August, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

'Breach of honesty'

"He then failed to attend work on the night shift of Monday, August 22," a report by Chief Constable Charlie Hall reads.

"When spoken to by his line manager, [he] lied and text him the court confirmation that he had been warned to attend jury service, but not that he had been stood down.

"He did not attend work or make contact with his supervisors further for the next two weeks", he said.

On 2 September he told his superiors he had finished jury service and would return to work the following Monday.

A misconduct hearing heard PC Khalek accepted his behaviour amounted to a breach of "honesty and integrity", and "discreditable conduct".

A statement from Mr Khalek was read out detailing "the many pressures that have been on him outside of work connected with his family and the cultural practices and norms that he is expected to live within".

Chief Constable Hall described the evidence as "moving" and said it was clear he had "been under significant pressures outside of policing".

He said: "It is regrettable that PC Khalek had felt unable to share or confide in supervisors and managers about this given that there is much the Constabulary would have been able and willing to do to recognise these and help support him with them."

He added: "PC Khalek is clearly otherwise a well-respected officer by his colleagues and immediate supervisors."

PC Khalek was found to have committed gross misconduct and his name will be added to the College of Policing barred list.