PC Thomas Hooper, a Metropolitan Police Constable attached to the Kingston unit, is said to have taken a two-tier tin of biscuits from a communal area, and then given a false account, on 7 May, 2016.

But the officer claims he intended to share the sweet treat, and offered to replace them.

Charles Apthrop, representing the Met Police at the tribunal, said the matter related to whether or not he had breached professional standards.

Mr Apthrop said: "The appropriate authority's perspective is that it is not the value of what was taken, it is what was done.

"It shows clear evidence of misappropriation of property. The officer was aware it belonged to someone else and the officer has taken it."

He added that by taking the biscuits, PC Hooper showed a "fundamental lack of integrity".

Panel chairman Naheed Asjad asked then inspector Sarah Blake: "You have a sergeant and an inspector and a box of biscuits that have gone missing and the only thing you can come up with is to refer the matter to DPS (Directorate of Professional Standards)?"

She said that "the option of going to the DPS was because of the gravity of the incident".