Essex Police PC Charlotte Lissimore cleared of misconduct

PC Charlotte Lissimore admitted using the hair products without paying but insisted she thought they were testers

A police officer who used hair products without paying should be "embarrassed", a chief constable said.

PC Charlotte Lissimore used a hair mask and hair oil while shopping off-duty in Boots, Colchester, in September 2023, before putting them back on the shelf.

The 29-year-old was spotted by a CCTV operative who recognised her as a colleague of his wife at Essex Police.

She was found to have not committed gross misconduct during a hearing earlier.

Ms Lissimore denied her conduct was discreditable and that she had acted dishonestly and without integrity, and the allegations were found not proven by Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington.

The chief was told how the £13 L'Oreal Paris hair oil and £7 Toni & Guy hair mask were "damaged" and unable to be sold after Ms Lissimore used them.

A misconduct hearing was held at Essex Police's headquarters in Chelmsford

"The officer knew the products were for sale and not for testing as there was no indication they were testers," Joanne Kane, representing Essex Police, alleged.

She said a member of staff, Calvin Dickson, had spotted Ms Lissimore using the products on CCTV and sent a picture to his wife to verify her identity.

Amy Dickson - who worked with Ms Lissimore in the police force - then reported the officer to a sergeant, the hearing was told.

'I have done something wrong'

Giving evidence, Ms Lissimore said she was browsing Boots with her sister and had "sampled" the products believing they were testers.

"I absolutely believed the items I used were testers. I just know the items I used were completely unsealed," she said.

"In hindsight now that we have the information that they were not testers then of course, there's something I have done wrong."

Asked about her relationship with Ms Dickson, the officer said: "She didn't like me."

Mr Harrington said Ms Lissimore had not committed gross misconduct but urged her to repay Boots for the products.

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