Latest news with #Reakes
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Police officer held down 'z' key to pretend he was working for 100 hours
It's the work-from-home trick we've all been tempted to try. Press down a key to keep your laptop on, all while you kick back and relax. That's the ploy one 'deceptive' police officer turned to, all until his bosses clocked on. PC Liam Reakes, based in Yeovil, weighed down the 'Z' key to make it look like he was working from home. The officer cost Avon and Somerset Police more than 100 hours of work and has now been barred from the profession. A tribunal found the officer committed gross misconduct on Monday and said he would have been dismissed had he not resigned last month. PC Reakes admitted opening a blank Word document and holding down the 'Z' key during countless shifts between June and September 2023. This sometimes went on for more than four hours, but the officer denied trying to trick others that he was working from home when he wasn't. He accepted his behaviour fell below the standards expected, though denied gross misconduct. There had been concerns raised about PC Reakes' performance throughout 2024 before the ploy was discovered. An internal audit of keystrokes in September 2024 then found that his total was much higher than others doing similar jobs. The officer's case argued he was struggling with mental health issues and lacked the support and motivation that working alongside colleagues in an office gave him. Reakes claimed he held down the Z character to protect his mental health. According to the force's Barrister Mark Ley-Morgan, he said it allowed him to see his computer screen and respond quickly to notifications. But Ley-Morgan said there was no evidence to support Reakes' defence. He added: 'He knew he was being paid for work that he was not doing. 'We are all entitled to take a break and have a cup of tea but this was far beyond that. 'There is no place in the police service for dishonest officers.' The panel's chair, Craig Holden, called the officer's behaviour 'deceitful and dishonest'. He went on: 'The impact on the trust the public have in the police service will be damaged. More Trending 'He had lied during the interview process when he could have come clean, and the activity was regular and sustained.' The officer will now be added to the national barred list, which will stop him from working in law enforcement again. Avon and Somerset Police's Det Supt Larisa Hunt said: 'PC Reakes was the subject of an action plan and was allocated a tutor due to concerns over his performance prior to the keyboard audit being carried out. 'The use of any device or system to replicate keyboard activity is wholly wrong and deceptive and the public will be rightly outraged at this behaviour.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page.
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
‘Deceptive' cop who weighed down laptop keys to make it look like he was working barred from policing
The officer would have been sacked had he not quit KEYS-CON COPS 'Deceptive' cop who weighed down laptop keys to make it look like he was working barred from policing Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A COP who weighed down laptop keys to make it look like he was working from home was barred from policing. PC Liam Reakes's actions cost his force more than 100 hours. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Reakes admitted opening a blank Word document and holding down the Z key for long periods Credit: Getty Concerns were raised about his efforts before a September 2024 audit of keystrokes flagged his total as much higher than others doing similar jobs. Reakes would have been sacked had he not quit in Yeovil, Somerset. A panel found he committed gross misconduct. Reakes did not attend the hearing. He admitted opening a blank Word document and holding down the Z key for long periods. He denyied this was to give a false impression he was working from home. Det Supt Larisa Hunt said: 'PC Reakes was the subject of an action plan and was allocated a tutor due to concerns over his performance prior to the keyboard audit being carried out. 'The use of any device or system to replicate keyboard activity is wholly wrong and deceptive and the public will be rightly outraged at this behaviour. 'Not only has he let down those he made a commitment to serve and protect but he's also let down his colleagues, who are continuing to deal with significant pressure and workloads.'
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Deceptive' cop who weighed down laptop keys to make it look like he was working barred from policing
A COP who weighed down laptop keys to make it look like he was working from home was barred from policing. PC Liam Reakes's actions cost his force more than 100 hours. 2 Reakes admitted opening a blank Word document and holding down the Z key for long periods Credit: Getty Concerns were raised about his efforts before a September 2024 audit of keystrokes flagged his total as much higher than others doing similar jobs. Reakes would have been sacked had he not quit in Yeovil, Somerset. A panel found he committed gross misconduct. Reakes did not attend the hearing. Read More on UK News He admitted opening a blank Word document and holding down the Z key for long periods. He denyied this was to give a false impression he was working from home. Det Supt Larisa Hunt said: 'PC Reakes was the subject of an action plan and was allocated a tutor due to concerns over his performance prior to the keyboard audit being carried out. 'The use of any device or system to replicate keyboard activity is wholly wrong and deceptive and the public will be rightly outraged at this behaviour. Most read in The Sun 'Not only has he let down those he made a commitment to serve and protect but he's also let down his colleagues, who are continuing to deal with significant pressure and workloads.' 2 A former cop who weighed down laptop keys to make it look like he was working from home has been barred from policing (stock picture) Credit: Alamy
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Police officer who faked working from home banned
A police officer who held down keys on his laptop to make it look like he was working when he was not has been barred from policing. PC Liam Reakes, who was based in Yeovil, was found to have committed gross misconduct at an Avon and Somerset Police panel hearing earlier. The panel heard how, between June and September 2024, he weighed down his laptop's Z key at "regular intervals" for "considerable periods" of time, causing the loss of more than 100 hours' of police time. He would have been sacked had he not already resigned from the force, and has now been banned from working in law enforcement again. Mr Reakes was caught after an internal audit of keystrokes in September 2024 flagged his total as much higher than others doing similar jobs. He did not attend the hearing, but admitted opening a blank Word document and holding down the Z key for long periods of time, denying this was to give a false impression he was working from home. More news stories for Somerset Listen to the latest news for Somerset Head of the force's professional standards department Det Supt Larisa Hunt said: "PC Reakes was the subject of an action plan and was allocated a tutor due to concerns over his performance prior to the keyboard audit being carried out. "The use of any device or system to replicate keyboard activity is wholly wrong and deceptive and the public will be rightly outraged at this behaviour. "Not only has he let down those he made a commitment to serve and protect but he's also let down his colleagues, who are continuing to deal with significant pressure and workloads." Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Detective who pretended to work from home sacked Police officer avoids jail for stalking conviction Former officer barred from policing for misconduct Avon and Somerset Police
