London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 06, 2026

Uxbridge police officer watched film while rough sleeper froze to death outside

Pericles Malagardis, who was just weeks away from flying home to see his family, was kicked out onto the street despite temperatures being below freezing
A police officer who kicked a homeless dad out of Uxbridge Police Station watched a film with a colleague while the man froze to death.

Pericles Malagardis, a 63-year-old Greek national who often slept rough at Heathrow Airport, attended the police station on March 4, 2016 to collect his dog, Django, who had been in kennels.

Mr Malagardis, known to many as Peri, was told Django would be brought to the station the next day, and he remained in the reception area until 12.40am on March 5.

PC Bhupinder Kalsi, who was the senior officer working, threw Mr Malagardis out onto the street, despite temperatures being around -1 degrees.

He was found unresponsive five hours later, with a core body temperature of 26 degrees. He was pronounced dead an hour later.

At a gross incompetence hearing organised by the Metropolitan Police in November 2018, PC Kalsi was dismissed from the force with immediate effect.

It was found that, despite being aware he was outside the station in sub-zero temperatures, PC Kalsi failed to monitor Mr Malagardis’ condition while he was outside for nearly five hours.

She was also found to have been watching a film on DVD with a colleague throughout the night.

The case was also proven against her for unsatisfactory performance for viewing a DVD while on duty, following Mr Malagardis’ ejection from the front office/reception area.

A police staff member, also involved in ejecting Mr Malagardis, had a separate finding of poor performance following a management investigation hearing in December 2018. The staff member, who has not been identified, was instructed to update their emergency life support treatment training.

A jury inquest into Mr Malagardis’ death at West London Coroner’s Court began on Monday (September 28) and ended on Thursday (October 1).

It found that Mr Malagardis died of pre-existing medical conditions accelerated by hypothermia.

IOPC regional director, Sal Naseem, said after the inquest: “This was a particularly tragic case as, so it turned out, Mr Malagardis was close to returning to home as money had been raised by local well-wishers to buy his flight back to Greece.

“The lack of care towards Mr Malagardis by the officer and the staff member was particularly cruel and the failings of the officer to give adequate first aid was the major reason for her dismissal.

“Police officers have a duty of care for people they come into contact with, and Mr Malagardis was clearly failed by this officer.

“More than four years on, the impact of Pericles Malagardis’ tragic death lives on. Our thoughts remain with those who knew him.”

Mr Malagardis moved to London in 1989 and worked as a delivery driver for 11 years before falling on hard times.

After the breakdown of a relationship he started living in his car, but it was impounded seven years ago and he was forced to live on the streets.

But due to Mr Malagardis' "larger than life character" he became known in West London and was well liked by anyone he came across.

So much so that staff at Cockfosters station would top up his Oyster card so he could travel to Heathrow Airport and spend most nights in Terminal 5.

Staff at the airport, who became close to him over the years, would give him food so he wouldn't go hungry.

Some of the British Airways crew, along with a minister at Wembley who took Mr Malagardis under his wing, started crowdfunding for him to get a flight home to family he hadn't seen in years.

More than £6,000 was raised at the time of his death, and it's believed he was just weeks from booking the flight.

An inquest into Mr Malagardis's death revealed he died of pre-existing medical conditions accelerated by hypothermia.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
NHS Maternity Reform Expands Central Oversight After Critical National Review
Dover Border Warnings Highlight Post-Brexit Pressure on Cross-Channel Trade
Private Nuclear Consortium Advances £35 Billion Small Reactor Strategy in UK
UK Labour Leadership Signals Shift Toward Reindustrialisation and Regional Power
House of Lords Debates Rail Nationalisation Bill to Create Great British Railways
Scottish Affairs Committee Expands Inquiry Into SNP Financial Conduct
Evri Launches £1.2 Million Defamation Case Against BBC Over Panorama Investigation
Port of Dover Warns of Border Delays as EU Entry-Exit System Looms
Nigel Farage Referred to Standards Watchdog Over Alleged Undeclared Benefits
UK Government Faces Scrutiny Over Claimed AI Datacentre Investment After FOI Findings
UK and India Finalise Trade Agreement Rules Ahead of Mid-July Implementation
UK Government Establishes National Maternity Commissioner After Major Review of NHS Care Failures
Private Consortium Plans £35 Billion UK Nuclear Programme Targeting Small Modular Reactor Rollout
Andy Burnham Sets Out Ten-Year Reindustrialisation and Devolution Plan as Leadership Transition to UK Premiership Advances
Morocco and France Advance as 2026 FIFA World Cup Enters Quarterfinals.
Historic 2026 Tour de France Opens in Barcelona With Revamped Team Time Trial.
Global Mergers and Acquisitions Approach $4 Trillion Defying Geopolitical Tumult.
Negotiators Advance 20-Point Framework for Gaza Ceasefire and Demilitarization.
OECD Warns Middle East Conflict Will Depress Global Economic Growth.
Ukrainian Drones Strike Major Oil Terminal in St. Petersburg.
World Meteorological Organization Issues Urgent Alert Over Rapidly Intensifying El Niño.
United States Commemorates 250th Anniversary With Diplomatic Summits and Global Flotilla.
Iran Begins Days-Long Funeral for Supreme Leader Khamenei Amid Strait of Hormuz Standoff.
Technology giant reports surging carbon emissions driven by artificial intelligence infrastructure demands.
Artificial intelligence adoption accelerates workforce reductions across the technology and financial sectors.
Global technology and financial conglomerates collaborate to launch a new stablecoin standard.
United States regulators lift export restrictions on a major frontier artificial intelligence model.
Royal Society Exhibition Highlights Growing Focus on Public Trust in Science
Energy Costs and Supply Chain Risks Continue to Shape UK Business Strategy
Rapid Rise in Artificial Intelligence Adoption Reshapes UK Corporate Operations, ONS Says
UK Businesses Turn Defensive as Economic Outlook Weakens, Institute of Directors Data Shows
UK Government Faces Criticism Over Late Extension of Pub Hours for England Match
Inquest Continues Into Death of Noah Donohoe as Jury Deliberates Findings
Calls for Stronger Wildlife Attraction Safety Rules After Crocodile Enclosure Injury
City Fire Under Control After Major Blaze Sends Smoke Across Urban Area
Police Investigation Continues After Officer Killed During Road Closure Duties
Blackpool Hotel Fined £120,000 After Electric Shock Incident Involving Child
Whistleblowers Allege Delays in UK Special Educational Needs Support Services
Calls Grow for Improved Support for UK Armed Forces Personnel Facing Health Conditions
Rising UK Energy Price Cap Increase Prompts Wider Concerns Over Household Pressures
UK Businesses Remain Concerned Over Global Conflict Risks to Supply Chains, ONS Finds
Office for National Statistics Reports Rising Adoption of Artificial Intelligence Across UK Businesses
Institute of Directors Reports Deepening Pessimism in UK Business Confidence Index
England Prepare for World Cup Round of 16 Match Against Mexico in Mexico City
Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition Concludes in London After Week-Long Showcase of Research
Silverstone Hosts British Grand Prix as Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton Lead Home Crowd Expectations
Cornwall Van Dwellers Face Homelessness Risk as Council Tightens Enforcement
Police Investigate Stabbing of Iranian Journalist in London
Rare Copy of US Declaration of Independence Discovered in UK Archive
Department for Education Data Shows Persistent Literacy Gap Among Disadvantaged White Pupils
×