Pictured: Career criminal who cost dedicated Morrisons employee of 30 years his job
A career criminal who cost a dedicated Morrisons employee his job has been identified.
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Daniel Kendall, a repeat shoplifter with more than 100 offences to his name, became “aggressive” in the branch in Aldridge, West Midlands. Store manager Sean Egan followed company protocol - up until the point where Kendall reportedly spat at him.
Mr Egan, 46, was sacked after he tackled Kendall as he tried to make off with two bottles of Jack Daniels, worth £50.
Mr Egan attempted to restrain the criminal when he became “aggressive” and started spitting but he was later sacked after a disciplinary hearing for not following the company’s ‘deter and not detain’ policy.
Mr Egan went on to post on Linkedin: “Dismissed from Morrisons after 29 years. After nearly three decades at Morrisons. This isn't just my story. It reflects the experiences of so many people who have reached out to me privately.
“I'm determined to make sure those voices are heard. In that moment, I reacted as a human being. And after 29 years of doing everything I could for the business, that's something I stand by. I want to say a genuine thank you to everyone who tuned in, reached out and shared support. It means more than I can put into words. All I've ever wanted is to be heard. And I'll continue to speak up, not just for myself, but for others who feel they haven't been listened to.
“How am I going to give my kids the Christmas they deserve? I joined Morrisons at 17. It wasn't just a job. It was my identity. My life. My purpose. 29 years of loyalty. And now… it's gone.
“Despite nearly three decades of loyalty, performance, and commitment, including turning numerous underperforming stores into some of the most profitable in the West Midlands, I lost my job.”
Kendall reportedly has at least 40 previous convictions, according to the Daily Mail. He was jailed for 42 weeks at Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court in December over the Morrisons theft as well as several other petty crimes.
He stole chocolate and coffee worth £90 from a Co-op supermarket store in Birmingham - and £390 in cash from an ATM in Walsall.
Kendall was previously jailed for 30 weeks in 2018 for attempting to break into a police officer's home in the middle of the night.
In 2019 he shoplifted from a petrol station and assaulted a shop worker. He also scuffled with staff during another theft in a Bargain Buys store in 2019 where he pushed a staff member and threatened her, saying he had a knife - which turned out to be a pair of scissors.
Mr Egan, who worked at the chain since he was a teenager, admitted he is now struggling to find work again.
A Morrisons spokesperson said: "We are continuing to take wide-ranging action to address the threat of shoplifting or violence in our stores.
"The health and safety of all colleagues and customers is of paramount importance to Morrisons. We have very clear guidance, procedures and controls in place to protect our colleagues and customers from the risk of harm, which must be strictly followed.
"These include detailed procedures for handling shoplifting incidents, which are in place to protect both the colleague involved and surrounding colleagues and customers, and which seek to de-escalate and calmly control the situation.
"We will not ask colleagues to put themselves at risk.
"As a responsible employer, our focus is entirely on taking the correct action to ensure health and safety is maintained at all times."