A serving Merseyside police officer was caught buying cocaine outside a pub while looking after his three-year-old daughter, a misconduct panel heard.
Former constable Jonathan Brown, 31, was fined £475 in court after admitting possession of a Class A drug and has since resigned from Merseyside Police. However his case was subject to an accelerated misconduct hearing before Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, where he was found guilty of gross misconduct for breaching standards of professional behaviour around discreditable conduct.
Brown was arrested on August 8, 2022, after buying three wraps of white powder from a blue Mercedes G35 car outside the Charnley Arms Pub on Almond Brook Road, in Standish, Wigan. The wraps were analysed by experts and found to contain just over a gram of cocaine. Brown was later charged with possession of a Class A drug and pleaded guilty at Manchester City Magistrates' Court, where he was sentenced on January 6.
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According to a report of the police misconduct hearing, Brown, of Standish, admitted buying and taking cocaine for a period of time. In the report Chief Con Kennedy wrote: "As Chief Constable I have been very clear about my priority around well-being and the support available to officers who admit that they have an addiction issue. Former Constable Brown has at no time sought support from his line managers or the Occupational Health Unit in relation to any addiction issues.
"It is also shocking that former Constable Brown bought the drugs whilst looking after his three-year-old daughter. As Chief Constable I have also been very clear that this type of criminal behaviour will not be tolerated, and this is at time when policing is under the spotlight nationally for its behaviour. This officer’s actions could have had a severe impact on the trust and confidence of our communities in policing both nationally and policing locally for our communities here in Merseyside.
"Hopefully, the fact this matter has been treated so seriously by Merseyside Police will mean that our communities recognise just how seriously I and Merseyside Police value the importance of honesty and integrity."
The report did not make clear how Brown was caught.
Chief Con Kennedy concluded that had Brown still been on the force he would have been sacked for gross misconduct. Her decision also means Brown will be placed on the College of Policing's barred list, meaning he is prohibited from holding any other policing job in the future.
Chief Superintendent Jennifer Wilson, head of the force’s Professional Standards Department, told the ECHO: “Our officers are responsible for upholding the law and in doing so are rightly expected to behave in an exemplary manner at all times, whether on or off duty.
“Where that does not happen we will take all necessary measures to ensure the individual is dealt with appropriately both through the criminal courts and misconduct proceedings.
“Having the trust of the public is paramount to us a force and to allow us to police effectively and I want to reassure the public that the vast majority of our officers and staff do an exemplary job and work day in, day out to ensure that our all of our communities are safe and protected.”
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