Now that takes the biscuit! Police officer accused of stealing biscuits from colleague

A police officer has been accused of taking a tin of biscuits belonging to a colleague and later lying about it.

Metropolitan Police Constable Thomas Hooper appeared at a central London misconduct hearing where he denies two allegations of breaching standards of professional behaviour.

Hooper, based at Kingston Operational Command Unit in south-west London, is also accused of applying for a fixed penalty notice to be cancelled.

Hooper is accused of stealing a medium-sized two-tier tin of biscuits from a storage cupboard on 7 May 2016.

Representing London's police force Charles Apthorp said it was not just the act of taking the biscuits but whether Hooper's behaviour was tantamount to a breach of professional standards.

"The appropriate authority's perspective is that it is not the value of what was taken, it is what was done," Apthorp said according to the Evening Standard.

"It shows clear evidence of misappropriation of property. The officer was aware it belonged to someone else and the officer has taken it."

Apthorp added Hooper showed a "fundamental lack of integrity" but the tribunal was told that Hooper had offered to share the biscuits with other staff out and offred to replace them.

Panel chairman Naheed Asjad told the tribunal that the public would be concerned about the value of the complaint concerning the biscuits and pointed out an offer had been made to replace them.

Blake replied: "By that time the biscuits had been eaten and, in my mind, theft is theft. How was he going to put the biscuits back?" reported ITV News.

Relating to the other charge Hooper is accused of driving at 51mph in a 30mph zone while in a marked police transit van.

It is claimed the officer had been driving the van in response mode when there was no reason for it on 3 May 2016.

The hearing will continue on Tuesday (20 February) at 10am.