North Wales Police officer dismissed after misconduct hearing

Mark Mansfield

A North Wales Police officer has been dismissed without notice after a misconduct hearing found he had given the false impression he was working while away from his computer.

PC Robert Masson was dismissed following an accelerated misconduct hearing held at North Wales Police headquarters in Colwyn Bay.

The hearing, chaired by Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, found his actions amounted to gross misconduct.

It heard that PC Masson repeatedly engaged in a practice known as “key-jamming”, where a key on a keyboard is deliberately held down to keep a computer appearing active.

The force said the practice created a misleading impression that he was working and available over extended periods when he was not.

As a result, the hearing concluded that his conduct breached the standards expected of police officers and warranted dismissal.

Following the hearing, Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Harrison said: “Police officers are rightly held to the highest standards of honesty and integrity.

“Where those standards are not met, we will take robust action.

“The public must have confidence that officers carry out their duties with professionalism at all times.

“In this case, the conduct fell short of those expectations, and dismissal was the appropriate outcome.”

An accelerated misconduct hearing can be used in cases where there is evidence of gross misconduct and where dismissal would be a likely outcome if the allegations are proven.

PC Masson will now be placed on the police barred list, preventing him from serving as a police officer in the future.