Life-saving officer dismissed for gross misconduct after turning to theft
A chief constable ended the career of a police officer he witnessed at first hand going from `hero to zero` in the space of a few months.
Aug 25, 2016
By Nick Hudson
A chief constable ended the career of a police officer he witnessed at first hand going from `hero to zero` in the space of a few months.
Last November Police Constable Andrew Hamilton received a chief constables commendation for saving a motorists life who passed out at the wheel at 60mph.
He collected the bravery award personally from Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Neil Rhodes for “outstanding professionalism and swift decisive actions” which prevented serious injury to the Audi driver and other road users.
On Wednesday (August 24), PC Hamilton was sacked by the force after he admitted stealing a kayak and a set of paddles before selling them on eBay.
His dismissal, for gross misconduct, followed being convicted of two counts of theft when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates Court on August 8.
PC Hamilton removed the boating equipment from Nottingham Kayak Club, before selling them on the internet auction site. The items belonged to two other club members, the court heard.
PC Hamilton, based in Grantham CID, kept the proceeds from the sale, despite knowing or believing he was not lawfully entitled to do so. The offences took place between May 1 and July 9, this year.
The misconduct hearing was told PC Hamilton, who did not attend the hearing, admitted the allegations and expected to be dismissed.
The public hearing was held at Lincolnshire Police headquarters in Nettleham and chaired by Mr Rhodes.
In giving his ruling, the chief constable said: I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities the officers conduct amounts to gross misconduct.
He added: There is no place in the police service for an officer who demonstrated such unequivocal dishonesty.
The November awards ceremony was told that PC Hamilton, and his colleague PC Danielle Crompton, were driving their marked patrol car along the A46 dual carriageway in June 2015 when they noticed that the driver of an Audi car which drove past them in the same direction was slumped at the wheel.
The car then hit the central reservation but continued forward. PC Crompton, who was driving, immediately accelerated and used the police car to bring the out-of-control Audi to a halt as it headed towards stationary traffic waiting at a roundabout.
The two officers immediately began first aid on the collapsed Audi driver until paramedics arrived.
It transpired that the man, Stephen Finney, had suffered a seizure at the wheel and has since made a full recovery.
Mr Rhodes awarded the officers commendations for their “keen observational skills, outstanding professionalism and swift decisive actions which prevented serious injury to the Audi driver and other road users”.