By Sammy Jones-
A Fifth MPS officer has been dismissed following the Panorama broadcast exposing shockingly inappropriate behaviour by Metropolitan Police officers located at Charring Cross station.
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) sergeant was shown on a BBC Panorama programme trivialising a rape allegation, and was accordingly dismissed without notice following an accelerated misconduct hearing on Tuesday (October 28).
Sergeant Clayton Robinson, attached to MPS Detention, is the fifth officer based at Charing Cross police station to be sacked since the programme was broadcast on Wednesday, October 1.He will also be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. The undercover footage which ended was aired on a BBC Panorama programme, showed Sergeant Clayton Robinson saying “I’ve got to be honest, I’ve gone to bed before and can’t remember taking my trousers off”, after another officer told him about a rape allegation in which a woman said she woke up without trousers on and did not remember taking them off, a misconduct hearing was told.
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Mr Brittain decided Sergeant Robinson should be dismissed without notice.
It further emerged during the tribunal hearing that Sergeant Robinson had also been recorded speaking about the alleged rape with another sergeant.
Covert filming by a BBC reporter recorded Sergeant Robinson saying to another sergeant: “She’s woken up momentarily and there’s someone humping her and then passed out again. And that’s all she’s got”, the hearing was told.
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The complainant reported that there was a number of people around, and Sergeant Robinson said: “She has given some description, hasn’t she?” before adding: “I mean, one of them might be orange with green hair and obviously it’s him.”
The other sergeant said: “Like an Oompa Loompa?” the tribunal heard, to which Sergeant Robinson replied: “Yeah”, laughed and began singing part of the Oompa Loompa Song.
Last week, Pc Jason Sinclair-Birt, Pc Philip Neilson, Pc Martin Borg and Sergeant McIlvenny were dismissed without notice in separate hearings after it was found they had committed gross misconduct.
Sergeant Robinson told the chairman he had not been mocking anyone and had been “frustrated” at what he perceived to be wrongdoings in the alleged rape investigation.
“He alone was responsible for the words he used,” Mr Brittain said as he ruled the allegations against the officer were proved.
“As the custody sergeant, he should have acted as a role model.”
Commander Simon Messinger, Professionalism, said: “Sgt Robinson’s behaviour was appalling, questioning and mocking a victim-survivor of rape, and it is absolutely right he is dismissed and no longer part of our organisation.Stephen Morley, representing the Metropolitan Police, told the tribunal Sergeant Robinson had “trivialised and mocked the complainant’s allegation”.
“Today’s proceedings mean five officers have now lost their jobs for these appalling acts of misconduct at Charing Cross police station.
“The incontrovertible evidence has allowed us to rid the Met of these officers who have corrupted the integrity of our organisation at the very earlier opportunity.
“Further hearings are scheduled.”
Sgt Robinson was secretly filmed in the Panorama programme trivialising a rape allegation while in conversation with another officer.
He questioned the victim-survivor’s account and mocked her ability to recall details. He joked the suspect description could be someone orange with green hair and then started singing an ‘Oompa Loompa’ song.
He was found to have breached standards of professional behaviour for authority, respect and courtesy, discreditable conduct, and equality and diversity.
Accelerated misconduct hearings in relation to the Panorama allegations for PC Sean Park, attached to Central West Command Unit, and Sergeant Lawrence Hume, attached to MPS Detention, will be held on Friday, November 7 and for former PC Brian Sharkey, previously attached to Central West Command Unit before he retired, on Friday, November 28.
A hearing for the final officer, Steve Stamp, attached to MPS Detention, will take place on a date to be set as it is no longer a fast-track hearing.
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