AN independently chaired misconduct panel has dismissed two Essex Police officers for gross misconduct.

The public hearing ran from Monday, May 9 to Thursday, May 12 at Harlow Social Security and Child Support Tribunal, formerly the magistrates’ court.

The panel heard how traffic officers Pc Joanne Jeggo and Pc John Simpson based at Stanway, were on duty on October 30, 2014, when a call came in and they were asked to attend a report of a pedestrian walking on the A12 near Chelmsford.

They went to the area and carried out a search but did not find the man. Subsequently a pedestrian, Kyle Brooks, was struck and killed on the A12.

The hearing was told how the officers provided written and verbal statements stating they had sought more information about the location to assist with their search but these were found to be false.

The independent panel, headed by legally qualified chair, Neil Dalton, found the officers’ conduct in relation to the search for Kyle Brooks amounted to misconduct.

Their response to the allegations, which included statements that were determined not to be true, amounted to gross misconduct.

After the hearing, Mark Gilmartin, Director of Support Services at both Essex and Kent Police, said: “These officers responded to a call and carried out a search but failed to find a man reported to be walking on one of the main roads in the county. The panel heard strong evidence of the officers’ previous exemplary records and the panel were left in no doubt that they were highly regarded by their line managers and peers.

“They have been dismissed because they were found to have lied. They were shown not to have followed the fundamental values expected of officers to maintain public confidence in policing. In order to maintain the highest standards, the panel believed that dismissal without notice was the most appropriate sanction.”