Police officer dismissed for lying about being sick for duty

A police officer has been dismissed and banned from working in the service after a misconduct hearing heard that she lied about being sick to take a family holiday.

The accelerated misconduct hearing at Greater Manchester Police headquarters on Thursday, 21 September 2023, heard that PC Theadora Parfrey, who had worked in Bolton, joined GMP on 9 May 2022.

Parfrey was aware she could not take leave between 18 May and 22 July of that year, as she was undergoing her initial training. However, she reported sick for duty on 22 July, claiming to be at home when she was at Manchester Airport.

Parfrey had earlier admitted that her actions amounted to gross misconduct.

Chief Constable Stephen Watson said that her behaviour was “clearly unacceptable” for a police officer.

He added: “In respect of harm, I refer principally to the impact of her misconduct on her colleagues, supervision, and towards the good order and discipline of the force.

“I reiterate that the point of the core purpose of these proceedings is to sustain public confidence in the police. There can be no doubt that the facts in this case have grave potential to diminish public confidence in the police.”

Parfrey was dismissed and was also added to the College of Policing Barred List.

Detective Chief Superintendent Michael Allen, head of GMP’s Professional Standards Branch, said: “Dishonestly reporting sick represents a serious lack of integrity and such deceit is wholly incompatible with the very highest standards of professional behaviour required of police officers. 

“Parfrey knew full well that annual leave would not be authorised and made the conscious decision to try and cheat the system, thus failing the public and her colleagues.  Her actions were fatal to employment in policing, which meant that her career was over almost as soon as it started.”