Stanley Kennett Met Police officer sacked for running coffee business while on full pay

PC stanley kennett met police was dismissed for gross misconduct after a tribunal found he ran The Coffee Cycle while receiving full pay from the force. The ruling comes amid a cluster of disciplinary actions over officers operating businesses and alleged drunkenness on duty.

Tribunal finds unauthorised business activity despite application being refused

PC Stanley Kennett, 31, applied in April 2024 to run The Coffee Cycle but was declined, the misconduct hearing heard. The panel found he "continued to engage in and operate this unauthorised business interest" and concluded that he had done so while receiving full pay; the ruling confirmed that in September 2025 the conduct continued.

The Coffee Cycle operated from a bike shop in West Sussex

The Coffee Cycle is based in a bike shop in Storrington, West Sussex, and serves coffee, cake and pastries and provides catering for events, its website and social media show. Commanding officer Cdr Andy Brittain described the venture as more than voluntary work, saying: "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. 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. "

Two officers dismissed within a week over business activity

The Met has dismissed two officers for running businesses whilst being paid within a week. Last week firearms Sgt Matt Skelt was sacked for gross misconduct after he worked and promoted a mobile pizza service while on long term sick leave.

Separate tribunal examined alleged on-duty intoxication by former detective constable

A tribunal on the same day heard the case of former Det Con Sean Brierley, who would have been sacked if he had not already left the force after being found to be "so intoxicated that he could not walk straight" while on duty. The panel was told 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.

Footage and custody evidence described unsteady and slurred behaviour

Video footage from the east London bar showed the officer ordering three glasses of white wine over two hours, the panel heard. CCTV captured Brierley as "unsteady on his feet", "staggering" and "off balance" when he returned to the police station later that evening; the evidence was heard by the panel on 12 February. A custody sergeant said Brierley had "smelt drunk" and other staff reported his speech had been "slurred".

Stanley Kennett Met Police case highlights growing misconduct scrutiny

The Kennett and Skelt dismissals were part of a wider week of disciplinary actions that also included the intoxication tribunal for Brierley. PC stanley kennett met police was found to have promoted and operated the coffee business while on full pay, and the hearing treated the venture as incorporated and staffed rather than a volunteer project.

What happens next is unclear in the provided context.