The officer had lied to his line manager about having been stood down from the requirement by the court.

A Hertfordshire PC has been dismissed without notice after he failed to attend work despite having been stood down from jury service.

PC Musa Khalek had been required for jury service for a period of two weeks in August last year – commencing Monday 22 August. The week prior to beginning, however, he received notification from the court that he was no longer needed.

He then failed to attend his night shift on August 22 and when spoken to by his line manager – lied and forwarded the previous confirmation but without the notification he had been stood down.

For the following two weeks he neither attended work, nor made contact with his supervisors. On the last day of what was to be his jury service he texted his line manager saying he would be back in the following Monday.

The PC had accepted the facts were accurate and that they amounted to a breach of professional standards.

Chief Constable Charlie Hall found that his actions breached standards of honesty and integrity and discreditable conduct.

While describing him as an “otherwise well-respected officer”, and alluding to pressures on him outside of work, CC Hall wrote: “PC Khalek lied to his supervisor for personal gain, that is to avoid police work for a period of two weeks.

“This is serious and raises considerable questions and implications for the officer and his ability to carry out his professional duties. It raises questions about whether what he says can be trusted in the future, by the public, by his supervisors or by colleagues.

“He also sustained the lie by not reflecting or taking any opportunity within the two weeks that followed to correct the misleading position he had given to his supervisor.”

He has been dismissed without notice and added to the barred list.