Devon police sergeant dismissed for dishonesty

A Devon and Cornwall police sergeant has been dismissed without notice after a misconduct panel found he intentionally misled colleagues to avoid a speeding penalty.

The hearing, held on 16 and 17 June at the Riviera Conference Centre in Torquay, focused on allegations against Police Sergeant Timothy Perrin, who was found to have breached standards of honesty and integrity, and of discreditable conduct.

PS Perrin was caught speeding at 48mph in a 30mph zone on 20 August 2023 while driving his personal car.

Following the incident, he sent in a Form 51 — a police document normally used to explain exemptions for police drivers — stating that he had been on duty and responding urgently to a custody centre in Plymouth.

The panel concluded that PS Perrin’s Form 51 was “intentionally misleading”, intended to give the impression that he had been contacted at short notice to provide assistance at Charles Cross Custody Centre.

However, the hearing found that he had received notice of the move more than 14 hours earlier and that there was no urgent request for help from colleagues at the time.

The panel, chaired by Temporary Assistant Chief Officer Lucy Baillie, noted that PS Perrin had constructed his account to create a false impression and that public confidence in policing would be damaged if he were retained.

Despite acknowledging PS Perrin’s long service and previously unblemished record, the panel decided that dismissal was the only appropriate outcome, given the seriousness of his misconduct and its impact on public trust.

He has the right to appeal the decision to the Police Appeals Tribunal.