Cop breached lockdown rules by hosting a wedding party - then tried to lie her way out of it

A former Greater Manchester Police officer who broke Covid lockdown rules by hosting a wedding party has been banned from policing, the force has confirmed.

A disciplinary hearing ruled that Manisa Matloob’s behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and she would have been dismissed had she not already resigned.

Miss Matloob, who resigned as a PC in February 2023 and did not attend the hearing, will also be added to the College of Policing barred list, which means she cannot return to police work.

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The disciplinary hearing at GMP's headquarters yesterday (May 18) was told that Miss Matloob, who was a PC based in GMP’s Oldham district at the time of the breach, had 'repeatedly lied to cover up her actions'.

Officers attended her home address in March 2021 following two calls from the public.

In subsequent verbal accounts and police interviews, Miss Matloob said the gathering at her home had been for her wedding and that the event was 'mostly online', according to GMP.

But officers who attended the address found more than six people in the house in contravention of the Covid regulations in force at the time. It later emerged the gathering was a pre-wedding party and for Miss Matloob, who was married three days later.

Setting out the case on behalf of GMP, Martin Forshaw said that by attending the gathering she 'knew she would bring discredit upon herself and the police force'.

He added: "On four separate occasions, she provided false statements and acted dishonestly. Clearly, she knew by attending that she was bringing discredit to herself and the police service."

In setting out the judgement, panel chairman Trevor Jones said Miss Matloob’s behaviour