A trainee detective has been dismissed from the Metropolitan Police Service after he sexually assaulted a colleague.
Christopher Brown, who was based at the Central North Basic Command Unit, was dismissed without notice after a hearing concluded his behaviour had breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in relation to ‘discreditable conduct’.
He had been sentenced to a 12-month community order at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday March 9 after pleading guilty to one count of sexual assault at an earlier hearing on January 11.
Officers investigated after receiving a report on December 9, 2021, that Brown had sexually assaulted a female colleague at a bar in London whilst he was off-duty.
He was interviewed under caution on 21 December 2021 and charged following an investigation on 21 November 2022.
Chief Superintendent Andy Carter, local policing commander for the Central North Basic Command Unit, said: “Brown’s behaviour was completely unacceptable and his actions undermine the honest majority of our officers who are dedicated to protecting the public.
“It is quite right that he has been swiftly dismissed from the Met following the conclusion of court proceedings.
“We are determined to win back the trust of the communities we serve. We know this isn’t something that will be resolved overnight, but I hope the outcome of this investigation demonstrates that we are heading in the right direction.”
The case is the latest in a line of scandals to hit the Met recently.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, who started the role in September, has said he believes hundreds of corrupt officers serving in the force should not be in the job.
The murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer and ex-Pc David Carrick being unmasked as a serial abuser and rapist are among the most high profile scandals to have hit the force – branded institutionally racist, homophobic and misogynist in a major review.
The Met is carrying out a series of reviews of officers and staff to try to weed out those who should not be in the job.
More than 1,000 records where officers and staff were accused of domestic violence or sexual offences in the past 10 years have now been checked to make sure the right decision was taken.
A total of 161 Met officers have criminal convictions, 76 for serious traffic offences including drink driving and careless driving.
Another 49 have convictions for crimes of dishonesty or violence – eight of whom committed the offences while they were police officers and remain serving with the force.
Other crimes include drug possession, criminal damage and public order offences, and three serving officers have convictions for sexual offences.
