Senior Met Police officer who ‘sexually harassed colleague’ allowed to keep his job | UK | News


New Scotland Yard Sign London

The senior cop’s identity has been withheld (Image: Getty)

A police sergeant who was harassing a junior female he was managing has avoided the sack after being found guilty of gross misconduct, Express.co.uk can reveal.

The Met Police officer, whose identity has also been withheld, was found guilty by a professional misconduct panel of making a series of inappropriate approaches to the PC while he was her line manager from May 2021 until early 2022.

There was no physical contact involved in any of the allegations.

One of the allegations was that the officer, known only as Sergeant G in a published outcome summary, laughed about Sarah Everard during one of the inappropriate conversations – something he vehemently denies.

The summary said: “The allegations are that he made unwanted, unprofessional and inappropriate remarks and suggestions to her. It is also alleged the officer made inappropriate comments about PC A to other policing colleagues, including telling them that she was having an affair.”

A misconduct hearing between August 27 and August 30 heard an allegation that in November 2021, about eight months after the shocking murder of Sarah Everard by serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, the sergeant brought her up during conversation and laughed.

Sarah Everard

Sarah Everad’s murder was seen as a turning point in the battle to stop violence against women (Image: Met Police)

The sergeant had already been making inappropriate comments to the junior officer for about six months, the misconduct panel heard.

The summary said: “As she walked off and the officer followed her. He mentioned the earlier remarks made when he was driving the car and told her he wasn’t the person to just have fun.

“She told him there was no need to worry and he replied ‘You should stay around people. I just want to grab you. Keep yourself safe’. He then laughed and said ‘Violence against women and girls Sarah Everard’.

“PC A said she was shocked and disgusted and wondered what he meant by his comments.

Sarah Everard

A vigils held In memory of murdered Sarah Everard (Image: Getty)

“Following that incident, PC A said she actively avoided the officer and tried to avoid him unless it was about work. During cross-examination, it was put to PC A that the officer did not mention Sarah Everard. PC A reiterated that he did so.”

Couzens was given a whole life term after admitting to the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah in September 2021.

It is the force’s worst ever scandal and became a turning point in the battle to try to stop sex attacks and violence against women and girls.

In his written responses to the panel, the former sergeant denied the conversation took place at all and said he was shocked and upset by the accusation that he made any reference to Sarah Everard, especially as members of the public were present.

In his live evidence, he said it made no sense at all that he would just come out with such a statement.

The summary said: “The panel has carefully considered the evidence in relation to the allegation and accepts the subject officer’s (PS G) position.

“The account given by PC A is simply a collection of words or phrases, when taken together in the context of what the officer and his colleagues were responding to at the car meet, makes no sense whatsoever.

“In the circumstances, the Panel finds the (police force) has failed to prove any plausible context for the comments to have been by the officer.”

Couzens

Twisted Wayne Couzens (Image: Met Police)

The panel concluded that the majority of the other allegations were proven. The misconduct panel works on the civil court threshold of proven on the balance of probabilities, rather than the criminal trial threshold of beyond reasonable doubt.

Incidents proven were that he began the actions in May 2021 he contacted her about an image she posted and told her she looked good, despite being her line manager.

Then, in June or July 2021 in a smoking area at work he grabbed her right arm and told her he fancied her.

He was also found to have messaged her that he was imagining her in plain clothes and wanting to touch her before she reported concerns to a female colleague.

He was also found to have walked behind her saying he was thinking about pinging he bra strap, asked he to go to the gym and how tight her clothing was and said he had not “ragged around with her” and suggested he was good at a particular sex act.

It was found partially proven that at Enfield Police station in September 2021 he showed a photograph of PC A to a number of police constables and asked if they would like to have sex with her and said he would like to.

He was also found to have told other officers that PC A was having an affair.

Three other allegations that he suggested she should have an affair with him, that he mentioned her breasts during a conversation about tattoos, and that, in front of other male officers, he said he wished to throw her onto a bed and engage in a sex act with her were also not found proven.

In summarising the totality of the proven offences, the summary said: “His proven conduct was nonetheless unwanted, unprofessional and inappropriate in respect of the multiple occasions where the panel has found that was the case.”

The panel also heard of a toxic environment in the team after September 2021, with some malicious complaints brought against the former sergeant by a suspected “clique”’ of officers that allegedly included PC A.

The summary added: “That it is neither here nor there whether there was a clique, as the officer has accepted a number of the factual allegations and the environment does not impact on the factual allegations.

“Even though some of her messages may have been potentially flirtatious, he was her line manager and should not have engaged in any unwanted, unprofessional or inappropriate conduct in a work setting with a subordinate female officer.

“No one instructed or required him to behave in the manner he did. His conduct towards PC A was while on duty through messaging and speaking to each other.

“The Panel finds the repeated course of conduct over a period of time, the expectation that the officer would be a role model given his rank, his attempt to blame others, namely the ‘clique’, coupled with national concern about the behaviour of male police officers towards females all amount to aggravating factors.”

He was found guilty of gross misconduct. The officer joined the force in October 2009 after having been a PCSO since 24 May 2007.

At the time of the proven conduct, the officer was experienced and held the leadership rank of Sergeant. He has not been subject to any previous disciplinary action.

Sarah Everard: Cressida Dick reacts to Couzens’ life sentence

Over the course of his career, he has received multiple Quality Service Reports which testify to his commitment to serving the public at a high level.

The summary said: “To his credit the officer did make some early admissions and has shown remorse and insight regarding his conduct.

“It is evident to the Panel that the proceedings as a whole have proved a salutary lesson him. He has been visibly upset and genuinely distressed at times.

“In the circumstances, the panel considers that the public should feel reassured there is little risk of recurrence should the officer be retained in service and that public protection is not an issue in this case.

“Likewise, the Panel does not consider given the limited out of character nature of his misconduct, that this is in any way indicative of any wider held negative attitudes towards females.

“The panel’s decision is that the proportionate outcome in this case that meets the requirements of the misconduct regime is to impose a reduction in rank from Sergeant to Police Constable.

“The imposition of this outcome should send a clear message that policing colleagues and members of the public are entitled to expect that those who serve at any rank are persons of unquestionable integrity, probity and trustworthiness.”

The Met said the officer’s name has been withheld to protect the identity of the victim.

It was been asked to comment on the fact he kept his job, in the face of Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s bid to route out this type of behaviour.

A spokesperson said: “The decision was taken by an independent chair following a detailed consideration of all the facts.”

Former Met Police officer, turned women’s rights campaigner, Alice Vinten, highlighted the case on X.

She posted: “He showed a photo of her to multiple male colleagues and told them he wanted to ‘**** her’.

“He told multiple colleagues that she was having an affair.

“There were multiple witnesses to his behaviour, so of course he’s lost his job, right?

“He was demoted. He still has a warrant card… and his identity is being protected by (the Met Police).”

Leave a Comment

url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url