Former Met officer who had cannabis and police-issue batons at home found guilty of gross misconduct

‘We will not tolerate this type of behaviour, which is clearly unacceptable,’ said a Chief Superintendent
Cannabis was found at former PC William Holyoake’s home - stock image
PA
Lydia Chantler-Hicks31 January 2023
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A former Met Police officer who was found to have cannabis and police-issue batons at his home has been found guilty of gross misconduct.

A tribunal panel found on Monday that had former PC William Holyoake still been serving, he would have been dismissed from the force.

On September 7, Holyoake pleaded guilty at Surrey Magistrates’ Court to two counts of possession of a Class B drug - cannabis - and four counts of possession of an offensive weapon in a private place following an incidnet on January 30 last year.

He was sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on October 4 to a community order to complete 60 hours of unpaid work within 12 months, and ordered to pay a £95 surcharge to the court.

Holyoake, who had been attached to the Met’s South West Command Unit, resigned from the Met on August 23 last year.

Once Surrey Police had finished its investigation, the Met began misconduct proceedings.

At a hearing that ended on Monday, he was found to have committed gross misconduct by a Met tribunal.

The chairman, Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray, found he breached the force’s standards of professional behaviour in respect of ‘discreditable conduct’.

Ch Supt Lis Chapple of the South West Command Unit said: “Not only was former PC Holyoake found in possession of cannabis, but he also had police issue batons at his home.

“There was no reason for him to have these items, and he acknowledged this when he pleaded guilty.

“We will not tolerate this type of behaviour, which is clearly unacceptable.”

Holyoake will now be added to the College of Policing’s barred list.

Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.

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