A misconduct hearing concerning allegations against five serving officers has concluded.
The allegations related to PC Edward Bengree and PC Christopher Davey of the Aviation Policing Command; PC Matthew Hewett and PC David Donovan of the South West BCU and Detective Constable John Taylor of Specialist Crime North.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation in January 2018 following a voluntary referral by the MPS after phone messages were accidentally disclosed to third parties as part of a separate Surrey Police investigation.
None of the officers were connected to the Surrey Police investigation, although one of the officers’ phones had been recovered as part of a search of a suspect’s premises.
The IOPC investigation concluded in June 2019 after which it was agreed with the MPS that five officers may have breached professional standards and those breaches, if proven, would be so serious as to constitute gross misconduct.
It was alleged that between 2009 and 2011 PC Bengree, PC Davey, PC Hewett, PC Donovan and DC Taylor exchanged a series of text messages which contained offensive references to people with disabilities, sexism, paedophilia, racism and homophobia.
It was further alleged that PC Bengree also filmed and / or recorded members of the public on his mobile phone whilst on duty, both in the street and in police cells, and he endeavoured to develop an inappropriate relationship with a vulnerable female victim of crime, and that he accessed confidential information about the female for non-policing purposes.
Their actions were alleged to have breached the following Standards of Professional Behaviour: PC Bengree: Authority, Courtesy and Respect; Orders and Instructions; Duties and Responsibilities; Confidentiality; Discreditable Conduct; and Challenging and Reporting Improper Conduct. PC Davey, PC Hewett, PC Donovan, DC Taylor: Discreditable Conduct.
A misconduct hearing panel, presided over by an independent legally qualified chair and assisted by an independent person appointed by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime along with a Police Superintendent, held from Tuesday, 24 November to Thursday 3 December, found the following:
PC Bengree: Allegations of breaches in Authority, Respect and Courtesy; Orders and Instructions; Duties and Responsibilities; Confidentiality; Discreditable Conduct; and Challenging and Reporting Improper Conduct were found proven at the level of Gross Misconduct with some elements of the specific allegations concerning the filming and / or recording of members of the public being proven – he was issued a final written warning.
PC Hewett: Discreditable Conduct was found proven at the level of Gross Misconduct and he was issued a final written warning.
PC Donovan: Discreditable Conduct was proven at the level of Gross Misconduct and he was issued a final written warning.
A final written warning will be put on the officers’ personal file and will remain live for 18 months from the date the warning is given. This means that only in exceptional circumstances will further misconduct (that justifies more than management advice) not result in dismissal.
PC Davey: Discreditable Conduct was found proven at the level of Misconduct and he was issued a written warning.
DC Taylor: Discreditable Conduct was found proven at the level of Misconduct and he was issued a written warning.
A written warning will be put on the officers’ personal file and will remain live for 12 months from the date the warning is given. This means that any misconduct in the next 12 months is likely to lead to (at least) a final written warning.
Commander Paul Betts, of the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards, said: “The actions of these officers fell well below the standards expected by the Met. That was true in 2009 and is still true now. Not only were many of the messages deeply offensive and totally unacceptable, by their very nature they undermine trust and confidence in policing. Although this misconduct happened several years ago and the panel had considered the officers’ good service over the past ten years, we will put in place any further learning, development and reflection that may be appropriate to ensure that communities can have confidence in these officers.”
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