A Metropolitan Police firearms officer has been dismissed for gross misconduct after it was discovered he was running and promoting a mobile pizza business while on extended sick leave. The officer, Sergeant Matt Skelt, who had served for 34 years, claimed he was preparing for retirement, but a disciplinary panel found he was "well enough to work but not well enough to serve the public in any capacity."
Key takeaways
- A Metropolitan Police sergeant was sacked for gross misconduct.
- He ran and promoted a pizza business while on long-term sick leave.
- Social media posts showed him working on days he reported sick.
- The officer stated he was preparing for retirement.
Details of the misconduct
Sergeant Matt Skelt had been on sick leave for significant periods throughout 2025 and into January of the current year. During this time, social media activity indicated he was actively involved in his pizza business. Despite having previously received permission to run the firm, this authorisation was rescinded in August 2025, with a letter suggesting the business was incompatible with his phased return to work and recovery.
Evidence presented at the hearing
During a disciplinary hearing in Sutton, south-west London, evidence was presented showing online posts from September that depicted Skelt attending events and working two days a week outside a pub, selling pizza. Later posts showed him at a birthday party and promoting the business at a Christmas market. The panel heard that there were occasions where Skelt appeared to be working on days he had reported absent from the Met due to sickness.
The officer’s defence
Skelt argued that the August letter rescinding his business authorisation was not a binding order. He stated that he found himself in an "impossible position of following the order or not being able to provide for myself when I retired." He expressed that his reputation was important to him and the prospect of being sacked for gross misconduct was difficult to accept, emphasizing that he did not wish to challenge the Metropolitan Police’s authority.
The panel’s decision
Despite Skelt’s explanations, the disciplinary panel, chaired by Assistant Commissioner Rachel Williams, concluded that his actions constituted gross misconduct. The panel’s decision highlighted the contradiction in his claim of being too unwell to serve the public while being active enough to run a business. The panel stated that Skelt should have withdrawn from his public-facing role with the company once his business interest authorisation was rescinded.
