Gross misconduct proven against former officer

A misconduct hearing has found that a former officer would have been dismissed for sexual harassment after a professional standards investigation.

The five-day hearing, which began on Monday, 15 January, heard ‘Officer A’, previously attached to the Roads and Transport Policing Command, sexually harassed one female officer and made unwanted sexual advances to another.

The allegations were found to be a breach of Standards of Professional Behaviour because the officer’s conduct discredited the police and he failed to treat colleagues with respect and courtesy. The allegations were proven at the level of gross misconduct.

The officer resigned from the Met in January 2024. Had he still been a serving, he would have been dismissed without notice. He will now be placed on the College of Policing Barred List meaning he cannot serve as a police officer or in a number of other related roles in the future.

Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, leading the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: “There is no excuse for the actions of this officer.

“All officers and staff have a right to come to work and do their jobs without fear of sexual harassment from the people they are working alongside. No woman should have to suffer the type of behaviour this officer subjected them to and I commend the courage of these victims in coming forward to report his wrongdoing.

“The Met is unequivocal that there is no place in our organisation for anyone who does not share the same values.”

The panel heard evidence the officer sexually harassed a female officer over a period of time between 1 May 2021 and 31 December 2021. This included a sexual assault, in which he forced the officer into an inappropriate position, while on police premises.

On 26 December 2021 he made unwanted sexual advances and sexual comments toward a different female officer.

Both officers reported former Officer A’s behaviour to the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards and a full investigation was carried out.

Officer A was granted anonymity by the independent Legally Qualified Chair of the hearing.