The officer even tried to go backstage at All Points East festival in Victoria Park, east London (Picture: All Points East)
A Metropolitan Police officer who pretended to be on duty to get into a music festival in east London has lost his job.
Hasnain Awan was given a wristband for his shift at All Points East in Victoria Park on August 28, 2021.
He returned with a friend the following day, when he was off duty, and went to the accreditation desk rather than the public gates, News Shopper reports.
PC Awan lied to staff telling them he needed a new wristband as his own had got blood on it and was taken as evidence.
He then entered the festival using his wristband from the day before, while his friend used the new one.
It meant they both gained entry without having to stump up £95 each for a ticket.
Later that day he tried to get backstage by showing his warrant card, but his superior, Inspector May-Robinson, found out.
PC Awan initially claimed festival staff knew he was not on shift, but he later admitted the truth and resigned from the Met on February 19 this year.
A misconduct hearing held on May 5 found PC Awan had committed gross misconduct, and he would have been fired had he not resigned.
The panel said: ‘By his own admission he lied on more than one occasion which the panel has found was for his own self-interest, that he knew exactly what he was doing and given this repeated behaviour is indicative of an attitudinal issue.’
They added: ‘He did not make open admissions at an early stage but rather initially sought to create yet another account and justification for his actions which, by his admissions and apologies, demonstrates that this too was a fabrication.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Hasnain Awan was given a wristband for his shift at All Points East festival, but returned the next day with a friend.
