Can you dismiss an employee if they have allegedly committed a criminal offence?

An American football team, the San Francisco 49ers, has dismissed its player Bruce Miller following his arrest on suspicion of assault after an altercation about a hotel room. Although both an American and sports related story, it poses an interesting question to employers in the UK … can you dismiss an employee who faces a criminal conviction?
You would first need to consider whether this behaviour was misconduct. There is no outright rule that an employer should dismiss an employee who it is alleged has committed or is found to have committed a criminal offence. The Acas Code of Practice states at paragraph 31 that “if an employee is charged with, or convicted of, a criminal offence this is not normally in itself reason for disciplinary action. Consideration needs to be given to what effect the charge or conviction has on the employee’s suitability to do the job and their relationship with their employer, work colleagues and customers.”
Some points an employer may want to consider include:
• the seriousness of the offence;
• whether it can leave the job open while the employee cannot work;
• whether the conviction affects the employee’s job (e.g. loss of driving licence); and
• the employee’s refusal to cooperate with the employer’s disciplinary investigations.
Employers should also consider what its employee handbook says on this topic. For example, a typical clause in the handbook may state “a criminal investigation, charge or conviction relating to conduct outside work may be treated as a disciplinary matter if we consider that it is relevant to your employment.” Therefore, the employer will need to review and consider whether an investigation or suspension would be necessary. Responding to an employee’s criminal conviction remains a grey area on which advice should be sought.