A Morrisons store manager who was dismissed after confronting an aggressive repeat shoplifter has expressed gratitude to the community that rallied in support of him. Sean Egan, 46, had dedicated 29 years to the supermarket chain but lost his job following an altercation with career criminal Daniel Kendall at the Aldridge branch near Walsall.
Community Backing
On Saturday, April 25, locals organised a peaceful protest outside the Morrisons store in Aldridge, calling for the reinstatement of Mr Egan. Demonstrators held signs urging the supermarket to “Do the right thing – reinstate Sean Egan,” while passing drivers honked in solidarity. Mr Egan attended the protest and addressed the crowd, thanking them for their unwavering support.
“People of Aldridge have backed me from the beginning. They’ve backed me for years and for this support today, for everybody turning up… I really appreciate it, thank you ever so much. You mean the world to me,” he said. He described the area and its customers as “very unique” and praised the community as an “amazing group of people.”
The Incident
The incident occurred when Mr Egan attempted to stop Daniel Kendall, a known repeat shoplifter, from leaving the store. Kendall became aggressive, spitting in Mr Egan’s face. Despite initially following Morrisons’ protocol with a calm approach, the situation escalated. A disciplinary hearing subsequently ruled that Mr Egan had breached the chain’s “deter-and-not-detain” policy, leading to his dismissal.
Fundraising and Legal Action
A GoFundMe campaign, launched by local customers, has raised over £12,000 to support Mr Egan as he prepares to take his case to an employment tribunal. The fundraiser states: “After decades of loyal service, he is taking his case to an employment tribunal to challenge what he believes is an unfair and disproportionate outcome. This isn’t just about one moment, it’s about fairness, loyalty, and standing up for what’s right.”
Morrisons’ Response
A Morrisons spokesperson previously 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.” The Mirror has contacted Morrisons for further comment.
