Essex Police officers dismissed after hearing
Liam Wayland and James Cross were found to have committed gross misconduct and dismissed without notice.
Two Essex Police officers have been found to have committed gross misconduct by a hearing and dismissed without notice.
Liam Wayland and James Cross were alleged to have breached standards of behaviour in honesty and integrity; authority, respect and courtesy; orders and instructions; duties and responsibilities; and discreditable conduct.
The hearing found PC Wayland and PC Cross to have breached the following standards of professional behaviour: authority, respect and courtesy, duties and responsibilities, integrity and discreditable conduct.
In June 2025, both officers attended an incident in Clacton on information that a man had been assaulted.
The hearing said that on arrival, although they found a man who had been injured, the two officers did not attempt to take time to listen to him or take into account his vulnerabilities. They did not conduct proper enquiries with potential witnesses and CCTV at the scene. The update provided on the radio was that the man had sustained a fall during a medical episode and no crime was recorded.
The man was then taken home and later seen by ambulance.
The panel, chaired by Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hooper, found the allegations proven and found both officers would be dismissed without notice. Both men have also been placed on the Police Barred List.
Mr Hooper said: “I want to apologise to the man who should have received a much better service from us, and I plan to contact him personally."
“The first duty of a police officer is to protect and help people. Clearly, in this case, neither of these officers did that."
“They did not attempt to help him, engage with people who may have had information – in fact they did the opposite."
“These actions are in stark contrast to the overwhelming number of officers in Essex who help people and follow up on witness accounts each and every day.”