Essex officer sacked over lying about pedestrian search

Pedestrian Kyle Brooks died on the A12 near Hatfield Peverel

An Essex police officer has been dismissed for lying about the search for a 28-year-old pedestrian who died.

PC Joanne Jeggo was found to have breached professional standards by making false statements about efforts to find a man walking on the A12 near Hatfield Peverel in October 2014.

Kyle Brooks was subsequently hit by a number of vehicles and died.

On Wednesday an independent panel ruled Ms Jeggo's actions amounted to gross misconduct.

The three-day hearing, held at Harlow Social Security and Child Support Tribunal, heard how Ms Jeggo and a fellow traffic officer PC John Simpson were on duty on 30 October 2014 when they were asked to investigate reports of a pedestrian walking on the road. They searched the area but did not find Mr Brooks.

'Seriously breached standards'

The officers provided written and verbal statements stating they had sought more information about where the man had been seen to help their search but these were found to be untrue by the panel.

The pair were dismissed after a hearing in May 2016 but both successfully appealed and the decision was overturned.

While Mr Simpson subsequently retired Ms Jeggo's case was dealt with at the hearing which started on Monday.

Supt Steve Ditchburn said: "We meticulously considered the information presented to us, and we are in no doubt of PC Jeggo's previous standing as an officer of exemplary character.

"The panel was told of her conscientious and hardworking approach to her duties and heard how she was regarded as trustworthy by colleagues of all ranks.

"However, on this sad day in October 2014, PC Jeggo seriously breached the standards of professional behaviour amounting to gross misconduct, and the correct and proportionate sanction is dismissal without notice."