‘Lazy Pc just vaped and watched cricket’

A POLICE constable who is suing his chief constable over trauma he claims he suffered at work has been accused of being so lazy he spent most of the time watching cricket.

David Milling is claiming damages from Lincolnshire Police for psychological injuries he blames on their negligence and breach of duty.

The former Pc claims he suffered trauma after taking control of an accident scene following a fatal road traffic accident involving a motorcyclist in March 2021.

He received counselling and was signed off work in May 2021 until he eventually retired on medical grounds in February last year.

Now he is seeking damages of more than £200,000 and accuses the force of ignoring warnings that he was at risk of developing a severe psychiatric illness. But Lincolnshire Police is rejecting his claim, saying police officers will inevitably be exposed to traumatic incidents as part of their job.

As part of Lincolnshire’s defence against Mr Milling’s claims they have submitted legal documents to the High Court accusing him of being lazy. The force claims that far from doing the work of two men as he maintained, Pc Milling spent inordinate amounts of time outside, smoking, vaping, and chatting, or watching cricket at his desk. Lincolnshire Police maintain that his performance had been a concern for some years.

The force stated in legal documents: “The fact that the claimant did not apply himself to his work meant that the police constables in the response team would elect to bypass him and take their work to his colleague.”

The force, which does not accept Mr Milling’s medical evidence and is seeking an independent medical report, denies senior officers were notified that Mr Milling was at risk of developing a severe psychiatric illness and rejects his claim for damages.

It says that Mr Milling had told an inspector that he did not have any mental health issue. Mr Milling was approached for comment. He is expected to contest Lincolnshire Police’s claims about his work.