Former Avon and Somerset Police officer would have been dismissed for gross misconduct

Gross misconduct has been found proven against a former Avon and Somerset Police officer following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into allegations that he returned drugs to suspected users during stop and searches.

The hearing followed our investigation which began in October 2020, after concerns were raised by fellow officers about PC Jonathan Biggins’ conduct. We interviewed the officer as well as his colleagues and obtained witness statements, including some from those individuals he had stopped and searched.

The evidence obtained during our investigation revealed that PC Biggins, aged 40 who was based in North Somerset, had searched drug users, found and seized drugs and asked users for information. When information was provided, he returned some of the substances seized to the drug users, with the officer using the information provided to locate and arrest suspected drug dealers.

One less experienced colleague was told by PC Biggins not to include anything in their notebook about drugs being seized from and returned to a drug user, which led to documents being falsified. He acknowledged to a colleague on a journey to apprehend suspected dealers that what he had done was not best practice.

We found that the officer’s actions amounted to operational dishonesty in attempting to misrepresent the fact of locating drugs and the amount and, in doing so, manipulating evidence gathered in relation to drugs offences. We concluded that due to the improper way the information was gained, PC Biggins was imperilling the safety of the drug users involved and potentially prejudicing any future proceedings against dealers.

At the end of our investigation in April 2022, we found the officer had a case to answer for gross misconduct. PC Biggins resigned from Avon and Somerset Police in February 2021, having been suspended earlier.

At the conclusion of the hearing today (Tuesday) overseen by an independent legally qualified chair, the panel decided that the former officer had breached the standards of professional behaviour and would have been dismissed had he not already left the force.

IOPC Director David Ford said: “The hearing has found that former PC Biggins falsified records, tampered with evidence, and encouraged other officers not to accurately record what had taken place. The evidence indicates that PC Biggins used his role to exert improper influence over vulnerable individuals. He has shown a lack of professionalism, a lack of respect for the rights of members of the public and of the law, and grossly breached his authority. If members of the public are fearful that those serving with the police might seek to manipulate them due to their vulnerabilities, then this has the potential to seriously undermine aspects of legitimacy within the police service.

“There can be little doubt that the actions of this former officer have negatively impacted trust and confidence in policing, both within the local community and with the wider public. The actions of one individual in this case has unfortunately undermined the positive work undertaken by the majority of the police service on a daily basis.”

Following our investigation, we sent a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider any potential criminal offence by the officer. The CPS later decided not to bring any criminal charge.

Mr Biggins will now be barred from serving as a police officer.