A police detective who faked working from home by spending hours on online shopping sites while on duty has been dismissed from Avon and Somerset Police.
Detective Constable Philippa Baskwill, based at Bridgwater Police Station, was found to have weighed down her keyboard to stop her computer from going into standby mode, creating the illusion of productivity. Investigators uncovered a suspicious 19 million keystroke increase over one year, leading to her exposure.
Over a three-day period in 2023, Baskwill spent nearly nine hours browsing shopping websites during her shifts. On one occasion, she pretended to work for more than six hours straight. She was found guilty of gross misconduct and dismissed without notice in a hearing chaired by Chief Constable Sarah Crew.
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Superintendent Larisa Hunt, head of professional standards, said: “Our staff face immense pressure and heavy workloads, so it’s extremely disappointing for an officer to act in this deliberate and deceitful way. She has let down the public and her colleagues.”
In a statement at her misconduct hearing, Baskwill admitted to breaching professional standards and apologised, citing morning sickness at the time and claiming she did not believe she had acted with deliberate dishonesty.

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