Gross misconduct proven against ex-Leicestershire PC who flew to Turkey after reporting sick

A disciplinary hearing ruled that a former Leicestershire Police constable who flew off on holiday on the same day he reported sick for duty, would have been dismissed if still serving with the force.  

Gross misconduct was proven against ex-PC Raja Khan following a Leicestershire Police investigation, directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).  

The accelerated hearing, held on 18 September, was organised by Leicestershire Police and chaired by the force’s chief constable. PC Khan resigned from the force in February this year.

The investigation followed a referral to the IOPC by Leicestershire Police. It found that suspicions were raised when PC Khan reported sick on 5 October while on a rest day, two days before his next shift. Evidence indicated that the same evening he flew out to Istanbul in Turkey for a holiday.

On 8 October he was contacted by his line manager and replied by text, saying he was too ill to work. PC Khan was given the out of hours number to call the sickness line and sent guidance to complete a sickness form. He then got a third party to access his police laptop back at home, submit the sickness form on his behalf and send an email from his work address to the line manager confirming this had all been done. Police were waiting when PC Khan’s plane landed back at Stansted on 11 October and he confirmed he had just been on holiday for a week.

The disciplinary hearing concluded that he had breached the standards of police professional behaviour for honesty and integrity, confidentiality, orders and instructions, and discreditable conduct. 

IOPC Director of Operations Steve Noonan said: “PC Khan’s behaviour fell well below the standards expected of a police officer. He was dishonest about his absence from work and compounded that by allowing an unauthorised person to access his police laptop. In doing so he failed to treat confidential information with respect. Such conduct has no place in policing and he will now be placed on the barred list preventing him from future employment with the service.” 

On 16 October 2023 PC Khan was arrested and interviewed under criminal caution. Following completion of the investigation report a decision was made not to make a referral to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider criminal charges against the officer.