Morrisons manager says he was sacked for tackling shoplifter

Former Morrison manager Sean Egan tells Good Morning Britain his account of what happened before he was dismissed

A Morrisons store manager has said he was “doing his best to protect the business” when he confronted a shoplifter, but has since been sacked from his role.

Sean Egan, who had worked at the Aldridge store in Walsall for 29 years, said he was escorting the shoplifter out of the store when the man became aggressive and spat at him.

“I reacted in a way where I had to defend myself,” Mr Egan told Good Morning Britain.

“I was put in a situation not only to defend myself but also to ensure that customers and staff around me were safe also.

“I had a couple of seconds in that moment to make a decision on how this could even pan out.”

The incident, he said, has had a huge impact on his life.

“I’ve been in a spiral of depression, getting counselling, been medicated. I did class Morrisons as my family and they’ve been unsupportive throughout … It’s the only job I’ve ever had my entire life,” he said, having started work there aged 17.

“It’s been an absolute black hole of my life so far and it’s stopping me from progressing in what I want to do,” he said.

Metropolitan Police Chief Mark Rowley said he was “bewildered by the case”.

“If [people] feel able to intervene and they feel they can do that safely, we always want them to do that. We want the public to be part of the fight against crime,” he said earlier on Wednesday.

Mr Egan is also convinced that Ken Morrison, the late chairman of the supermarket and son of founder William Morrison, would’ve been proud of how he responded on that day.

“He would’ve said ‘well done son’,” Mr Egan said.

‘He was out to cause trouble’

Mr Egan described in detail his account of what happen at the shop in Aldridge.

“The shoplifter was selecting bottles of spirits in the booze aisle … I asked for the products back as part of out policy, he said no… There was no security guard on duty at the time and I had to escort him out,” he said.

He said the shoplifter put a hand into his bag – which contained the alcohol and other unknown items – so he put his arm out and happened to catch the man by the chest.

“I grabbed him arm to stop him going in the bag… What happened then was an altercation in the self-scan area.

“I was in the situation where this guy was strong as a bear … Another manager came to restrain him … but he was still swinging.”

Mr Egan said that he and a colleague got the shoplifter out of the store and flagged down local police who apprehended him.

“He was aggressive and he was out to cause trouble,” he said.

The former Morrisons worker has said that since being dismissed he is still looking for work.

“But would I work in a supermarket again? It’s left a sour taste,” he added.

Morrisons told Good Morning Britain: “While we cannot comment on individual cases, we’re confident this matter was investigated thoroughly and that the correct process was followed. The subsequent reporting does not reflect the full facts of the situation. We’re continuing to take wide-ranging action to address the threat of shoplifting or violence in our stores.”

The shoplifter has since been convicted and sentenced in relation to the incident.