Counter-terrorism detectives dismissed for 'skiving' at Manchester Airport

Two counter-terrorism detectives have been sacked after they were found to have spent "extended periods of time" in their office at Manchester Airport.

Jason Coman and Jennifer Gold were officers with the North West Counter Terrorism Unit before they were sacked by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) at a private hearing.

The pair were tasked with checking airline passenger lists and stopping suspects at the busy airport, which handles 22 million passengers every year.

The pair were caught spending too much time in their office in a terminal building during night shifts at the airport and hauled before a disciplinary hearing, reported the Manchester Evening News.

During the five-day hearing, which was heard in private due to sensitivities about counter terrorism policing tactics, it was stated that the pair had provided "inaccurate and misleading" information about their work during four night shifts in July 2016, just four months after a terror attack on the Manchester Arena, that left 22 dead.

Coman and Gold were supposed to be working on "ports duty" at the airport when they were actually spending time in the office, the internal investigation found.

A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) spokesman said their behaviour was 'totally unacceptable'.

"Constable Jason Coman and Constable Jennifer Gold appeared before a panel on Thursday 18 December 2017 to answer allegations of failing to leave their office for extended periods of time and giving information which was inaccurate and misleading whilst on ports duty at Manchester Airport," a spokesman said.

"An investigation was launched by GMP's professional standards branch and, at the conclusion of this, the case was brought to a gross misconduct hearing."

The statement continued: "At the conclusion of the hearing, the panel found the officers had breached the standards of professional behaviour and that their actions amounted to gross misconduct.

"Both were dismissed from the force without notice.

"GMP considered the actions of the officers to be totally unacceptable which is why the force sought the highest sanction from the panel."

Coman and Gold were dismissed for gross misconduct and declined to comment to the Manchester Evening News.