Alleged improper emotional relationship formed by a Sexual Offences Investigation Techniques (SOIT) officer – Metropolitan Police Service, March 2020
In March 2020, we began an independent investigation into the conduct of a Sexual Offences Investigation Techniques (SOIT) officer for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) following a complaint that alleged he made inappropriate comments, including of a sexual nature, while the victim reported sexual abuse.
The victim also alleged the officer, as the appointed SOIT, may have discussed personal, case-sensitive details in the presence of others during a phone conversation.
We investigated the allegations made against the officer, specifically:
• whether he took advantage of his position as a member of the police service and as an SOIT officer to pursue a sexual or improper emotional relationship with women he met during the course of his duties
• whether his actions and his contact with victims of crime were in line with force policies and national guidelines
• whether he accessed police records inappropriately.
During our investigation, we executed a search warrant on his home address, examined his personal mobile phone and several other electronic items, and obtained a statement from one of the vulnerable victims he had contacted.
A review of his work phone revealed evidence that the officer sent personal text messages to several vulnerable victims of sexual assault whom he had met during the course of his duties. The evidence also indicated:
• he invited one victim to his home address for a weekend to spend with his family
• he may have supplied a vulnerable victim of crime with alcohol.
We established that in May 2019, the officer was placed on management action following a local professional standards investigation. Although the investigation found he had not breached the MPS’s Code of Conduct, the officer received management action over concerns with the language used in text messages to a woman who had reported sexual assault.
In December 2019, the officer was under another local professional standards investigation after we sent the referral back to the MPS. A family of a woman had concerns over the professional relationship between the woman and the officer as they obtained information which suggested they were in a relationship. A review of the SOIT log written by the officer suggests that he provided the woman with alcohol on two different occasions.
Due to the allegations from another woman in March 2020, we called the referral back to form part of our investigation into the officer’s conduct.
During our investigation, we assessed whether there was an indication that any person serving with the police may have committed a criminal offence or behaved in a manner which would justify disciplinary proceedings.
Our assessment was that there was an indication that the officer may have committed misconduct in public office and Section 26 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015: Corrupt or other improper exercise of police powers and privileges.
We criminally interviewed the officer under caution.
The officer retired from the Metropolitan Police Service in March 2021.
Our investigation concluded in August 2021.
We concluded the officer had a case to answer for gross misconduct and disciplinary proceedings should be brought against the former officer in relation to breaching the standards of professional behaviour: authority, discreditable conduct, respect and courtesy. In our view, there was insufficient evidence to indicate the former officer wilfully misconducted himself to such a degree as to amount to a criminal offence and therefore, did not refer a file to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Following a gross misconduct hearing in November 2022, a panel found three allegations proven but at the level of misconduct. This related to the SOIT log, the invitation home and tenor of the written communications to one of the victims.
No allegations were proven that related to his conduct towards the other victim.
The panel did not sanction the officer.
We carefully considered whether there were any learning opportunities arising from the investigation. We make learning recommendations to improve policing and public confidence in the police complaints system, and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.
In this case we identified several areas of improvement for the MPS and continue to consult with the force before issuing any organisational learning recommendations.