An Avon and Somerset police sergeant has been kicked out after pulling a cheeky stunt to fake being busy at work. She propped a picture frame on her laptop keys to keep her screen active, making it look like she was on the job – but bosses weren’t fooled.
Faking It: The Laptop Trick That Got Her Caught
Known only as Sergeant X, the officer came under scrutiny when the Professional Standards Department spotted odd keystroke patterns in 2024. A closer look in June revealed she’d rigged her laptop by wedging a picture frame corner on the keys to stop the screen from going to sleep. This let her watch calls on another device while appearing active.
Her keystroke count was three to eight times higher than colleagues between April and May 2025 – all thanks to her dodgy key-holding tactic.
Gross Misconduct Panel Slams Serpent X
The misconduct panel, led by former assistant chief constable Craig Holden, branded the behaviour “gross misconduct.” Sgt X admitted she did it during a tough personal time but that wasn’t enough to save her job.
Craig Holden said: “The behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and will not be tolerated.”
She’s now been dismissed and banned from any police or law enforcement roles for good.
Sgt X’s Identity Kept Under Wraps
Despite the scandal rocking Avon and Somerset Police, Sgt X’s name remains under wraps. The panel granted her anonymity during the hearing at police HQ in Portishead on 25 February, keeping her identity confidential.
