Krispy Kreme price swap PC made 'honest mistake'

A police officer accused of trying to buy a £9.95 box of doughnuts for seven pence by sticking a cheaper barcode on them said it was an "honest mistake".

PC Simon Read, from Cambridgeshire Police, is alleged to have switched the price for the cakes at a Wisbech supermarket on 10 February.

He told a misconduct hearing he was not paying attention when he scanned a seven pence barcode for carrots twice, instead of the doughnut barcode.

He denied trying to steal the treats.

PC Read is accused of breaching two professional standards, of discreditable conduct and of honesty and integrity.

He told the hearing in Peterborough that he was buying the boxes as a treat for colleagues and denied all the accusations.

He accepted that he failed to scan the barcode for the box of 12 Krispy Kreme products while purchasing four items; the doughnuts, carrots, a sandwich and a drink.

But he said this was not done on purpose. "I'm horrified we're in this situation here today," PC Read said.

The Cambridgeshire Police officer, who joined the force in January, said he was buying the sweet treats using a self-service check-out.

PC Read also said the carrots were for someone on a diet and he thought it "would be funny" for them to be in a Krispy Kreme paper bag.

He said he stuck the carrots barcode on to the doughnut tray.

"I simply scanned where I believed the barcodes were and placed them down (in the bagging area)," he said.

"I didn't check the screen. I wish I had have done.

He said he did not look at his receipt and felt "embarrassed" by what had happened.

But lawyer Mark Ley-Morgan, putting the misconduct case, said: "He's maintained from the outset this is all a horrible mistake, of him failing to pay attention while scanning his items.

"We say this is very unlikely to be the truth."

Mr Ley-Morgan continued: "He would have had to be standing there with his eyes closed not to see what was happening on the screen in front of him."

He added: "It beggars belief that he wouldn't at some point have seen he was being charged just over £4, knowing some moments before he picked up an item that cost a tenner."

The hearing is continuing.

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