Former Met Police detective constable Sean Brierley was found to have committed gross misconduct after drinking three glasses of wine while on duty and would have been dismissed had he not already left the force
A police officer who was “so intoxicated that he could not walk straight” after consuming wine whilst on duty would have faced dismissal had he not departed the force, a misconduct panel has determined.
Former detective constable Sean Brierley visited Gravity Well Taproom on the evening of July 2, 2025 after being informed a suspect at Leyton police station was not yet ready to be questioned.
In video evidence from the east London establishment, the Metropolitan Police officer can be observed purchasing three glasses of white wine across two hours, according to the panel’s verdict.
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings
CCTV revealed Mr Brierley “unsteady on his feet”, “staggering” and “off balance” when he returned to the police station later that evening, the panel heard on February 12.
A custody sergeant provided testimony that Mr Brierley had “smelt drunk” and other personnel reported his speech had been “slurred”, the ruling stated.
Outlining her conclusions, panel chair Commander Katie Lilburn wrote: “The fact that the former officer was so intoxicated that he could not walk straight meant that he was unfit to deal with a prisoner in custody, which was the purpose of him being at the police station.”
The panel heard that Mr Brierley’s colleagues had been so worried about his condition that they had organised a welfare check at his residence later that night. Officers who arrived at his home at approximately 12.20am “found him lying in his bed in a pair of boxer shorts, with the duvet pulled off him” and said he “looked very disoriented and was staring at the ceiling in a glazed manner,” the ruling stated.
Mr Brierley told the officers he was fine but failed to enquire why they were present or make any effort to cover himself or sit upright in bed, the panel was told.
Commander Lilburn continued: “I found that the former officer’s actions were intentional, deliberate, and planned. He chose to go to the Taproom and consume alcohol when he was on duty.
“Being intoxicated whilst on duty in a police station and in a custody suite, with the attendant risks, is especially dangerous,” the commander stated.
The panel determined Mr Brierley’s conduct constituted gross misconduct and he would have faced dismissal had he not already departed the force.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.