Student PC in Bristol sacked for working in bar and as a referee

A student police officer has been barred from the profession for life after taking on extra paid work both as a referee and a barman without permission.Former PC Louis Cosway, of Avon and Somerset Police, took on extra work both while suspended from duty and during a period of long-term sick leave.Mr Cosway, based in Bristol, was found to have committed gross misconduct at a hearing on Monday.Barrister Mark Ley-Morgan, representing the force, said the officer's actions were likely to cause "serious harm to the reputation of the police service".
Mr Cosway was suspended for an unrelated matter in November 2023, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said, which was lifted the following April.He was then placed on a period of restricted duties, before going on sick leave for six months.But in December 2023 he submitted a business interest application to Avon & Somerset Police to work as a paid referee for the Football Association.The officer was informed in February 2024 that he had been refused permission to undertake the work, but had already refereed seven matches for cash-in-hand at Shirehampton.
Between July and December 2024 he completed 13 paid shifts at a bar in Newport while on sick leave without ever having put in a request for permission.Mr Ley-Morgan told the hearing at force headquarters in Portishead that the officer did not submit a business interest application for the bar work because he knew it was unlikely to be approved.He said such work could potentially create a conflict of interest, because as a constable he could be duty-bound to intervene in a potential incident at the bar, while as a barman he may have been required to stay out of it."The constabulary's business interests procedural guidance is crystal clear – police officers are not permitted to engage in business interests without first gaining permission, and if they do engage in business interests, they should disclose it straight away," Mr Ley-Morgan said.
'Serious harm'
"This is a case where serious harm to the reputation of the police service is likely to follow."Mr Cosway, who represented himself at the hearing, admitted breaching the standards of professional behaviour and misconduct but denied gross misconduct.He made mitigation representations, which were heard in private.Announcing the decision to dismiss the officer without notice, panel chairman Craig Holden said: "You had been subject to another misconduct investigation which you say affected your judgement.
"The officer has apologised and showed what appears to be genuine remorse."It appears the officer has acted out of character."But he said Mr Cosway was entirely responsible for his actions and that a right-minded member of the public would think what he did was wrong.Head of the police standards department Det Supt Larisa Hunt said afterwards: "This is completely unacceptable behaviour and a clear breach of the standards of professional behaviour for which he's now been dismissed from his role and barred from policing for life."

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