The force didn’t hear from the officer for so long it even reported him missing at one stage after his uniform was found in a locker.
It was later discovered PC Cristinel Anghel had left the country after amounting £8,000 of debts, including some to a force vehicle bursary scheme.
Mr Anghel did not work for the force again after going sick on March 21 2022, but was paid an at least around £37,000 salary per year until the conclusion of force misconduct proceedings on January 12 this year.
The misconduct panel heard that on March 20, 2022, he applied for annual leave from his line manager, but he was told they would have to check if staff levels would allow it.
Next day, he phoned in sick “citing mental health reasons” before emailing the Met’s HR team to say he felt his Romanian “ethnicity was the reason for the leave being refused.”
Multiple attempts were made to contact him over a number of weeks, with PC Anghel, ignoring most calls, the panel heard.
He sent in two sick notes with “different reasons for illness” to cover his sickness up to June 7 2022, but did not attend any scheduled meetings with the force
A summary of the panel’s findings said: “On May 31 2022, PS Emin and Insp Thomas attended PC Anghel’s home address.
“They were told by a neighbour that he and his family had moved out a week ago.
“Checks with his landlady led to her disclosing invoices left at the address showing PC Anghel and his wife had accrued £8,000 of debt on credit cards, store cards and an MPS Bursary loan for a vehicle.
“A check of PC Anghel’s locker found his uniform, tablet and warrant card inside, suggesting he had unofficially left the MPS.
“PC Anghel was declared a missing person. Border checks showed he left the country on March 23 2022 to Romania and returned on March 26th. He then left again on May 25 2022 to Italy and had not returned.”
PC Anghel’s conduct was found to be gross misconduct and he was dismissed without notice.
