A Morrisons supermarket manager with nearly three decades of service has been dismissed after confronting a violent shoplifter, claiming the company "threw me under the bus" for doing what he believed was right.
Long-Serving Employee Sacked After Altercation
Sean Egan, a 46-year-old married father from Wolverhampton, was fired by Morrisons following an incident at the Aldridge store in the West Midlands. The altercation occurred with career criminal Daniel Kendall, who has more than 100 offences to his name and became aggressive, spitting in Mr Egan's face during the confrontation.
Protocol Followed Before Incident Escalated
Mr Egan, who started working for Morrisons behind the delicatessen counter at age 17 while still at school, says he initially followed company protocol with a calm approach. Morrisons operates a "deter-and-not-detain" policy for handling shoplifting incidents, which Mr Egan adhered to when dealing with Kendall.
Despite this measured approach, Kendall became aggressive and spat at Mr Egan before managing to flee with two bottles of Jack Daniel's whiskey in December. Mr Egan had recognized Kendall as a prolific shoplifter who had targeted the supermarket previously.
Employee Speaks Out Against Dismissal
Speaking about his dismissal after 29 years of service, Mr Egan expressed his devastation: "I dedicated my whole life to Morrisons, but they did not even take my 29 years of service into account and just threw me under the bus for standing up for what is right."
He added: "All I tried to do was the right thing by protecting myself, my customers and my company. And for that I've been treated worse than a criminal."
Mental Health Impact and Financial Concerns
Since the sacking, Mr Egan has been diagnosed with depression and faces significant financial uncertainty. "For the first time in my life, I'm out of work and without money not because I did anything wrong but because I did something right," he explained.
"When they told me I was being sacked, my first thought was how am I going to survive? I've got bills to pay, a mortgage, two children and a partner. I feel humiliated and rejected."
Criminal Background of Shoplifter Revealed
Daniel Kendall, a drug addict from Walsall in the West Midlands, was subsequently sentenced to 42 weeks in prison over the Morrisons theft. His extensive criminal record includes previous convictions for stealing chocolate and coffee worth £90 from a Co-op supermarket in Birmingham and theft of £390 in cash from an ATM in Walsall.
Mr Egan contrasted their situations: "My whole life imploded from the moment Kendall stepped into my store. I have been treated more harshly and unfairly than him because he's not lost as much as I have. I've been deemed to be the bigger criminal than him."
Public Support and Company Response
Social media users have applauded Mr Egan's bravery and backed calls for Morrisons to reinstate the long-serving employee. The public response highlights growing concerns about how retail workers are protected when confronting criminals.
A Morrisons spokesperson addressed the situation, stating: "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."
The company emphasized its established procedures: "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."
The spokesperson concluded: "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."
Broader Implications for Retail Workers
This case raises important questions about how supermarkets balance employee safety with theft prevention. While companies like Morrisons implement policies designed to protect workers from harm, incidents like this demonstrate the difficult situations retail employees can face when confronting persistent criminals.
The dismissal of a loyal employee with nearly three decades of service for confronting a violent shoplifter has sparked debate about whether current policies adequately support workers who find themselves in dangerous situations while attempting to protect company property.
