Misconduct proven against former officer

A former officer would have been dismissed after reports he AirDropped sexual messages to passengers on a train and sent an unwanted sexually explicit personal image to a female colleague.

A three day misconduct hearing which began on Monday, 22 April and concluded with the Legally Qualified Chair ruling former PC Luke Stokes, previously attached to the Met’s MO6 public order planning, would have been dismissed without notice if he was still serving.

Former PC Stokes was found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour in respect of:

• Discreditable conduct
• Honesty and integrity
• Duties and responsibilities
• Authority, respect and courtesy

The former officer was arrested by officers from the British Transport Police on 13 April 2022 after a passenger reported the former officer had sent a sexually explicit note via AirDrop while on a C2C train on 9 April 2022.

During his interview with detectives from BTP it was found the former officer had carried out a factory reset on his phone.

The incident was investigated by BTP and a file was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service in November 2022. The CPS determined that it did not meet the threshold to bring a prosecution and no further criminal action would be taken.

Chief Superintendent Joseph McDonald, of the Met's Public Order Planning team, said: “It is quite clear that this former officer’s actions fell way below the standard rightly expected of a police officer. Not only did he send sexual messages to strangers, he tried to cover his tracks and then lie about it to fellow officers. There is no place in the Met for people who think such behaviour is acceptable.”

After learning of this incident, a female colleague reported that former officer Stokes had sent an unwanted sexually explicit personal image to her in 2020. A voluntary interview under caution was carried out in May, 2022. No further action was taken after it was determined the matter did not reach the evidentiary threshold for criminal charges to be brought.

Former officer Stokes resigned from the Met in March 2024.

He will now be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.