Stanley Kennett Met Police: Officer sacked for running coffee business

PC stanley kennett met police was dismissed for gross misconduct after a tribunal found he ran The Coffee Cycle while receiving full pay. The ruling follows a cluster of recent discipline cases, including other officers removed for running businesses while on force pay.

Application in April 2024 and continued unauthorised operation

The misconduct hearing heard that PC Stanley Kennett, 31, applied to run The Coffee Cycle in April 2024 but his application was declined. Despite the refusal, the tribunal found Kennett "continued to engage in and operate this unauthorised business interest" while he remained on full pay from the force.

Stanley Kennett Met Police: what the tribunal recorded in September 2025

In September 2025 the ruling confirmed that Kennett continued to operate the unauthorised business whilst receiving full pay. Cdr Andy Brittain described the venture: "This was not simply a volunteering opportunity, this was a full-blown and expanding business supported by incorporation of that business, the granting of a director's loan and employment of staff. "

Brittain added: "PC Kennett is also noted to have been actively engaged on social media promoting that business. This was a sophisticated operation, and PC Kennett appears heavily involved at all points. "

The Coffee Cycle's base in Storrington, West Sussex and services offered

The Coffee Cycle business is based in a bike shop in Storrington, West Sussex. It serves coffee, cake and pastries and provides catering for events, information that is set out on its website and social media. The tribunal heard the business had formal trappings that indicated trading beyond voluntary activity.

Two dismissals within a week and other related cases

The Met dismissed two officers for running businesses whilst being paid within a week. One of those earlier cases saw firearms Sgt Matt Skelt sacked last week after he worked and promoted a mobile pizza service while on long term sick leave; that was recorded as gross misconduct.

At a separate tribunal the panel was told former Det Con Sean Brierley would have been sacked if he had not already left the force after being found "so intoxicated that he could not walk straight" while on duty. The two business-related dismissals were therefore part of a broader set of disciplinary hearings.

Details from the Brierley hearing: Gravity Well Taproom, Leyton and evidence given

At the second tribunal the panel heard that former Det Con Sean Brierley went to Gravity Well Taproom on the evening of 2 July 2025 after being told a suspect at Leyton police station was not yet available to be interviewed. Video footage from the east London bar showed the officer ordering three glasses of white wine over two hours.

CCTV shown to the panel indicated Brierley was "unsteady on his feet", "staggering" and "off balance" when he returned to the police station later that evening, the panel heard on 12 February. A custody sergeant gave evidence that Brierley had "smelt drunk" and other staff reported his speech had been "slurred".

Other short-listed disciplinary matters noted at hearings

The tribunals additionally drew attention to several other recent decisions listed at the hearings, including an officer who ran a pizza company on sick leave being fired, a police officer sacked after assaulting a neighbour, and a Met PC who did not disclose a firearms probe being dismissed. The panels considered these alongside the business and conduct cases now concluded.