EXCLUSIVE: Senior Met firearms cop accused of running mobile pizza business while on long-term sick leave as part of crackdown

A SENIOR Met Police firearms officer is facing allegations he promoted a mobile pizza business while on long-term sick leave from the force.

PS Matt Skelt, of the Met's MO19 Specialist Firearms Command Unit, known as the 'Trojans', is accused of spending time on the family business across Essex.

It is part of a Met Police apparent crackdown on officers allegedly carrying out other jobs while on sick leave or suspension.

A public notice published ahead of a misconduct hearing planned for February 19 in south west London states: 'It is alleged that PS Matt Skelt, whilst off on long term sick leave, has been working and promoting his pizza mobile service, named 'Essex 19 Pizza' and attending pizza work-based events.

'The allegations against PS Skelt suggest a clear breach of the following standards of behaviour: discreditable conduct and orders and instructions.

'It is alleged that this conduct, if proven, individually and/or cumulatively amounts to gross misconduct and therefore should be dismissed.'

His Linkedin account says he has worked with the force since 1992 and has been a specialist firearms instructor and a firearms licensing manager since 2023.

The profile states: 'Currently responsible for delivering world class live exercises that test every facet of firearms policing resilience within London.

'This requires a partnership approach, building strong relationships with other emergency services and private industry to identify and implement areas of improvement in London’s resilience to all types of terrorism and armed criminality.'

He also appears in Facebook posts from relatives promoting the pizza business, saying the tasty treats are cooked in 90 seconds.

One, posted in January 2025, said: 'We are at The Curlew (pub), South Woodham Ferrers, tomorrow night from 5pm to 9pm cooking Neapolitan stone-baked pizzas made with fresh ingredients. See you there!!'

He was snapped in another post last October that said: 'If you're organising a wedding, family gathering, sporting event, charity day, festival, or any other function, contact us. We'd love to collaborate with you.

'Stunning vintage horse trailer converted with two Gozney pizza ovens. Enthusiastic family team. We serve authentic Neapolitan stone-baked pizzas, homemade with fresh Italian ingredients.'

Mr Skelt answered a phone number used to advertise the business but declined to comment.

A Met Police spokesperson said: 'He remains on long-term sick leave.'

The action against Mr Skelt appears to be part of a focus by the Met on officers alleged to be involved in other work on studies while on sick leave or suspended.

On February 12 there are three such misconduct hearings planned.

The force also published a notice that former PC Romeo Celoro will face one of these hearings over allegations that 'While absent from work through sick-leave, he became a HGV driver and carried out paid driving work', while still employed by the Met.

In a separate case former PC Rafiyat Chowdhury faces a misconduct hearing the same day over allegations that while on authorised sick leave he enrolled at the University of East London to train to become a qualified teacher and received a bursary of around £20,000 without submitting a business interest application to his line manager to reflect this.

The third hearing concerns  PC Stanley Kennett, who is accused of operating an unauthorised business interest while suspended from the force.