Police officer suspended for year... after ‘pinching his colleague’s biscuits’

A POLICE officer has spent a year suspended from the beat after a colleague accused him of pinching his biscuits.

The PC is suspected of handing out the snacks to members of his team after finding an open box on a desk at the end of a busy night shift.

The owner of the biscuits reported the ‘theft’ to bosses, who escalated the case by calling in anti-corruption colleagues.

The ‘suspect’ has been placed on restricted duties since last June while Scotland Yard’s Directorate of Professional Standards investigates. Restricted duties usually means the officer cannot go on patrol and is confined to a paperwork-based role. Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, who represents more than 30,000 frontline officers in London, said: ‘This shows yet again how lengthy disciplinary procedures are letting my officers down. When a constable can be held in abeyance for the best part of a year on restricted duties, well it is ridiculous.’

Asked about the specifics of the case, Mr Marsh added: ‘I am aware of it, but because it is still ongoing I can’t comment on it.’

The biscuit row broke out at Kingston, in south-west London. It is not unusual for items to go missing in police stations, with scores of officers and civilian staff passing through 24 hours a day.

A source told the Daily Mirror: ‘The issue is the length of time it takes to conduct the simplest of investigations, with the average investigation taking over a year. The officers, who in most cases have done little or nothing wrong, are not permitted to go out on the street. They are found work in police stations while watching colleagues burn out.’

As of March 2016 there were 4,933 officers in England and Wales on restricted duties – more than 4 per cent of the total.

Last month Met Commissioner Cressida Dick warned that counter- terrorism resources are stretched. She said investigations into other crimes are being shelved to support the pursuit of violent extremists.

Scotland Yard said: ‘Following an internal report of the theft of a box of biscuits, an officer based in Kingston Borough was placed on restricted duties in June 2016. The investigation has nearly concluded.’