Hertfordshire policeman demoted for selling his trousers

Insp Owen Hurley received a reduction in rank after being caught selling his trousers online for £4

An inspector who sold his police trousers for £4 online has had his rank reduced after being found guilty of gross misconduct at a hearing.

Owen Hurley of Hertfordshire Police admitted he sold the item on Vinted, a second-hand selling app.

He told the misconduct hearing the trousers had been in his wardrobe at home for "a long time" and he wanted to "make space" after redecorating.

Mr Hurley was reduced to the rank of sergeant, effective immediately.

The trousers were spotted and reported to the force by a member of the public in summer 2023.

At the hearing on Tuesday Mr Hurley described the sale as "a mistake."

He confirmed the trousers did not bear a police logo or insignia, but admitted the listing on Vinted indicated they were police issue.

Chief Constable Charlie Hall found the former inspector had ordered two new pairs of police trousers in January 2023, which were the same size as the items listed on the app.

Mr Hurley, who had served for 15 years, had said the old trousers were a poor fit.

Counsel on behalf of the officer said "not every mistake is unethical" and argued that in selling the item in his own name, Sgt Hurley had never tried to conceal his behaviour in a way which suggested deliberate wrongdoing.

They said the former inspector is "highly thought of" by his colleagues.

'Slippery Slope'

Facing questions from the chief constable, Sgt Hurley said members of the public and his colleagues would likely view the incident as a "stupid mistake, doing something without thinking".

He denied the incident amounted to gross misconduct and confirmed he engaged "proactively" in the investigation into his behaviour.

He said it wasn't about the money and added: "It was only when PSD (professional standards department) made me aware that I actually thought how gross a mistake it was."

The chief constable said letting the issue lie could have created a "slippery slope - one that [he] cannot allow to get a foothold" and demoted the officer.

He said: "A member of the public was sufficiently angry to report this.

"You have described it as a mistake... I would describe it as stupid."

He said dismissal "is not proportionate" but a reduction in rank to sergeant recognises that the former inspector's line management role is an aggravating factor in the case.