More than £20,000 has been raised to support Sean Egan, a Morrisons store manager who was dismissed after confronting a shoplifter at the Aldridge branch last December. The 46-year-old, who had worked for the supermarket for nearly 30 years, was sacked following an investigation that ruled he violated the company's do-not-detain policy.
Incident and Dismissal
Egan confronted a 'prolific' shoplifter who spat in his face. He wrestled the man to the ground, but Morrisons deemed his actions a breach of procedure. Speaking to BirminghamLive in April, Egan said: "The incident was blown out of proportion. I had seconds to protect customers and colleagues, but none of that was taken into account." He added that the company showed no empathy: "It was cut-throat from the beginning, no emotion. Nobody asked how I was feeling until the end of the appeal."
Fundraiser and Community Support
Egan has been missing mortgage payments and window-cleaning work to make ends meet. A fundraiser set up by the 'Aldridge community' has raised over £20,000, with a target of £22,000. The page states: "We've set this page up to support Sean by helping to contribute towards legal costs for his tribunal, help ease the pressure of day to day living expenses and give him the time and space to focus on fighting his case properly." It describes him as a "true hero who needs lifting up."
Morrisons Response
In a statement to the BBC, 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."
Impact and Next Steps
Egan is pursuing a tribunal case. The fundraiser aims to cover legal costs and living expenses. The community continues to rally behind him, with donations still being accepted.
