Morrisons Manager Dismissed After Confronting Violent Shoplifter
A supermarket manager who was terminated after tackling a violent drug addict shoplifter has accused Morrisons of abandoning him for performing what he believed was his duty. Sean Egan, aged 46, became embroiled in a confrontation with career criminal Daniel Kendall, who spat in his face and turned aggressive after stealing two bottles of Jack Daniels from a store near Walsall.
Loyal Service Ends in Dismissal
Instead of receiving commendation for his bravery, Mr Egan—who had worked for Morrisons since he was 17—was dismissed after 29 years of loyal service. The supermarket cited his failure to adhere to its 'deter-and-not-detain' policy regarding shoplifters. Mr Egan expressed his dismay to the Mail, stating, '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.'
Daniel Kendall, a drug addict with a history of targeting the store and nearby locations, has amassed over 100 offences. He once admitted in court that he needed to steal to support his £50 daily heroin habit. Following a conviction for robbery and shoplifting in 2019, a judge described him as a public menace due to his addiction, emphasising that shopkeepers deserve protection from the courts.
Heavier Price Paid by the Manager
Despite Kendall being imprisoned for 46 weeks for multiple offences, including the theft that led to Mr Egan's dismissal, it is the former manager who has suffered more severely. Mr Egan has been diagnosed with depression, battles suicidal thoughts, and relies on financial assistance from friends and family to make ends meet. He told the Daily Mail, '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.'
Reflecting on the impact, he added, '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.'
Career and Personal Life Unraveled
Mr Egan lives with his wife Nikki in a £300,000 home in Wolverhampton, which they purchased eight years ago and extensively renovated. He has two daughters, aged 13 and nine, from a previous relationship. A quintessential hard worker, he took pride in his 29-year career with Morrisons, including five years as manager of the Aldridge store.
Starting behind the delicatessen counter while still in school, earning £1.97 per hour, he climbed the ranks to store manager, with total earnings nearing £100,000 through salary and bonuses. He often worked 12 to 18-hour shifts, six days a week, especially during the busy Christmas period when the incident occurred.
His last paycheck was in January, and following his dismissal, his pension and an employee investment scheme have been suspended. Mr Egan explained, 'I'm a proud man and have worked very hard for everything I've got. I've always paid my way and put a lot of effort into building a beautiful home. But 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.'
Incident Details and Aftermath
Recalling the event on 3 December, Mr Egan was alerted to Kendall's presence in the store around 9am after a colleague reported the theft of two one-litre bottles of Jack Daniels, valued at £45 each. With no security guard present, Mr Egan attempted to escort Kendall out calmly, in line with policy, but was spat in the face.
Fearing for his life, Mr Egan reacted by grabbing Kendall's arm when he reached into his bag, leading to a tussle. He said, 'I was scared for my life because this guy was as strong as a bear, and I thought he was going to pull out one of the Jack Daniels bottles and hit me with it. He could have killed me with that.'
After the altercation, with help from a colleague, Mr Egan managed to escort Kendall out of the store, where police officers detained him. A search of Kendall's bag revealed the stolen bottles, heroin, drug paraphernalia, and half a pair of scissors. Mr Egan noted, 'When I saw what was in the bag, I realised that I was right to be scared and couldn't take any risks. It was a matter of life or death.'
Investigation and Disciplinary Action
Instead of praise, two days later, a senior manager informed Mr Egan he was under investigation for his handling of the incident. During a review of CCTV footage, Mr Egan recounted his fear for his life, but felt his concerns were dismissed. He said, 'The senior manager took me into a room, showed me the CCTV footage and quizzed me about what happened. I told him exactly what took place and how I had been spat at and feared for my life but none of that seemed to matter.'
While under investigation, Mr Egan was signed off sick with depression and anxiety. His disciplinary hearing in February resulted in dismissal for not following company policy. He described the process as predetermined, saying, 'They seemed to have made their minds up from the start. I didn't feel as if anybody was interested in hearing what I had to say and how I feared for my life.'
Community Support and Personal Struggles
Mr Egan is now on anti-depressants and sleeping pills, undergoing regular counselling to cope with the loss of his livelihood. He has never been investigated by police for the incident. Meanwhile, customers at the Aldridge store have organised a protest against his dismissal, demanding his reinstatement.
Customer Donna Henn, a carer, said, 'He is very much liked and known by many shoppers for his friendly, helpful manner. He was only doing what he should be doing and trying to stop a shoplifter stealing from his store. He was repaid with losing his job. It is terrible and he has support from many local people.' Retired mortgage adviser Kathy Dyer added, 'I knew him from shopping at Morrisons and his dismissal is totally wrong. It is absolutely disgusting. He was trying to stop a wrongdoer and now he is being wronged by his bosses. There is no justice in that.'
Looking Forward
Away from work, Mr Egan is a fitness enthusiast known for running marathons and fundraising for charities, including trekking across the Sahara and sleeping outside to support homelessness causes. As he tries to rebuild his life, he insists he has no regrets about confronting Kendall, despite the consequences. He said, 'There's a shoplifting epidemic going on in this country and sadly, the criminals are getting away with it. We need to stand up to them but look where it got me? But if I had to do it all again I would because it was the right thing to do.'
A Morrisons spokesperson stated, '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.'
