By Charlotte Webster-
A former officer responsible for policing nightclubs and bars in London’s West End has been convicted of taking bribes, including tickets to exclusive events, a family holiday to Morocco, and renovations to his home.
Frank Partridge, 50, who was formerly of the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) Westminster Licensing Unit, previously pleaded guilty to three charges of bribery and was convicted of four further charges of bribery following a 12-week trial at Southwark Crown Court. He was acquitted of one bribery charge.
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Another four people were also found guilty of bribery.
Jurors found that while working in the Westminster licensing unit between 2013 and 2015, he accepted inducements including renovation of his home, a bespoke monogrammed £1,350 suit and concert tickets for his mother-in-law to see Metallica in Milan for her birthday.
The former sergeant was responsible for consulting the local authority over applications for licensed premises and supervising venues to ensure they were complying with conditions, his trial at Southwark crown court in south London was told.
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Jurors heard Partridge, who left the Met in 2016, formed an “unprofessional and inappropriately close” relationship with people linked to West End nightclubs and security firms, including the Cirque le Soir nightclub owner, Ryan Bishti.
Philip Evans KC, prosecuting, told jurors at the start of the trial: “Those relationships directly benefited Frank Partridge financially and the individuals because they had someone with Frank Partridge’s powers in their pocket.”
Evans added the former Met officer “developed and nurtured” relationships with those he was charged with policing “for his own benefit and, in turn, for their benefit” and there was “no sensible” explanation for what was happening. Partridge told the court he believed his work was “always impartial”.
He was cleared of a further count of bribery, including allegations he accepted Manchester United tickets and shirts signed by Wayne Rooney, and admitted three others at an earlier stage in the case.
Bishti, 43, Anna Ginandes, 46, Terry Neil, 56, and a man who cannot be named for legal reasons were found guilty of one count each of bribery. Neil and Ginandes were also found not guilty of one count of bribery each. Soraya Henderson and Eamonn Mulholland were cleared of all wrongdoing.
Cmdr James Harman, of the Metropolitan police’s anti-corruption and abuse command, said: “This is the case of an officer abusing his position of trust and responsibility for personal gain.
“Frank Partridge was a licensing sergeant in central London. Licensing officers across London are responsible for working with the local authority to ensure the safe and secure operation of around 30,000 pubs and clubs and to ensure the public can enjoy the night-time economy safely.
The trial heard Partridge accepted money and gifts to make favourable recommendations about licenced premises to Westminster Licensing Unit, run by the local authority, influencing licensing hearings and protecting venues from enforcement activity.
Partridge, previously from Wing in Buckinghamshire but now living in Spain, was dismissed from the MPS in April 2016.
The force said that the way it now runs its licensing units has been transformed and many changes put in place to minimise the chance of this ever happening again.
The role of a police licensing unit is to work with the owners and operators of licensed premises to help prevent crime and secure public safety.
As a sergeant in the Westminster Licensing Unit, Partridge had direct responsibility for overseeing the performance of those working within in the licensing industry and for enforcement action against venues or businesses that were not operating within the terms of their license and meeting licensing objectives.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that between September 2013 and June 2015, he “developed and nurtured unprofessional and inappropriate relationships” with business owners and security firms in the West End.
The court heard Partridge took bribes from four groups of people linked to venues or security companies in the West End. The bribes included free meals and drinks, bespoke tailored clothing, tickets to exclusive events, free tickets and a family holiday to Morocco worth almost £7,000, although Partridge never took it due to his arrest.
“In return, Partridge failed to carry out his duties,” said the MPS. “He downplayed allegations of crime at a nightclub, a company co-run by Anna Ginandes, 46, who provided the security. This included two allegations of rape in September 2014, with Partridge claiming a police investigation had ended with no further action several months before it actually did to paint a better view of the venue before a licensing hearing.
“Partridge also told the hearing an expedited licence review was not necessary as he had been working hard with the club in the preceding three months and, as a consequence, there had been no further crimes. This was true.
“Instead Partridge came up with conditions to be added to the venue’s licence, however, this was never followed through.
“If the club’s licence had been revoked, it would have meant a significant loss of revenue for Ginandes’ company.”
The MPS said the two allegations of rape were thoroughly investigated by specialist officers, separate from the licensing team, but despite extensive inquiries, neither case resulted in anyone being charged.
The trial also heard that in January and February 2014 Partridge helped TSS, a security company run by Terry Neil, 56, and Soraya Henderson, 57, win a contract. He applied pressure on a venue to employ the company plus extra security staff.
“The prosecution was able to prove that the bribes were intended either as a reward for Partridge having performed his role as a police officer improperly in the past – or they were paid with the intention of inducing him to do so in the future,” said the CPS.
In September 2013, officers from the MPS Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command began a range of inquiries, including covert deployments, before making arrests and seizing a large number of electronic devices in June 2015. Henderson and Mulholland were not arrested and attended voluntarily for interview.
Partridge, who joined the MPS in May 1992, worked in clubs and vice and gangs units before joining the Westminster Licensing Unit in early 2013. He was suspended upon arrest.
Partridge was dismissed without notice in April 2016 for gross misconduct after abusing the ATOC travel scheme four times by travelling in first class carriages.
Commander James Harman said: “This has been a complex and long-running investigation that began in 2013 and has involved the painstaking examination of thousands of files on 178 digital devices plus huge volumes of paper records to piece the case together. I commend the diligent work of colleagues in our Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command.
“Partridge’s job was to consult with the local authority about licensing applications and supervise licensed premises to make sure they were complying with their conditions.
“But he developed unprofessional and inappropriately close relationships with people who owned, ran or were linked to those premises as well as with firms providing security to the venues.
“These matters happened almost a decade ago and how we run licensing units in the Met is now very different. Once we identified Partridge’s activities, we acted quickly to introduce measures to ensure no one officer can abuse their position of power in the way he did.
“This case is a clear example of the robust approach we take to corruption. Where a crime has been committed we will investigate and bring it before the courts, dealing not just with our own, but also with those who seek to influence and corrupt our officers and staff. ”
Debbie Jeffrey, senior specialist prosecutor with the CPS’ Special Crime Division, said: “As a police sergeant in the Westminster Licensing Unit, Frank Partridge had a central role in ensuring that venues and businesses operating in the West End of London did so within the terms of their license and were meeting licensing objectives to reduce crime and maintain public safety.
“It was clearly wrong and unlawful for someone in his position to receive financial and other advantages from those who owned, operated or were linked to such premises, and against whom he had a duty to take direct enforcement action if required.
“Partridge was nevertheless the recipient of significant bribes and developed and nurtured relationships for his own benefit – and in turn for the benefits of others.
“As a police officer, Partridge abused his position of power by cultivating unprofessional and inappropriately close relationships with a small number of individuals involved in providing entertainment and security at the venues he was charged with policing.
“He was found to have performed his professional duties improperly for the benefit of those individuals, in a manner that was incompatible with his position as a police officer, and for which he was rewarded with hospitality at exclusive events and high-end venues, bespoke clothing, a family holiday and house renovations as a result.”
The MPS said licensing is now structured differently, with better knowledge and understanding of the important role licensing plays in helping to police London.
“Along with greater oversight of local licensing officers by a Central Licensing Team and strong working relationships with the industry and London’s Night Czar, this helps us identify and manage risks,” it added. “It also means a more consistent approach to licensing across London, and helps the industry understand how we police.
“All police licensing officers must complete initial training and then attend professional development days, where standards and expectations of behaviour are re-enforced.
“This investigation – Operation Joseph – is used as a case study, focusing on how to manage corrupt approaches and how officers can be corrupted unintentionally.
“London’s licensed economy is complex with more than 30,000 licensed premises, some operating 24 hours a day selling alcohol and providing entertainment. Our licensing officers help support a diverse and vibrant economy by preventing crime and ensuring a safe environment for Londoners and visitors.”
Ryan Bishti, 43, owner of the Cirque le Soir nightclub, gave Partridge tickets to see the rock band Metallica and paid for the renovation of his home. He was convicted of one count of bribery.
Terry Neil, 56, was a director of Managed Security Services Ltd – trading as TSS – which provided security services to a very significant number of venues in the West End. He provided Partridge with a bespoke suit and hospitality at high-end London venues and exclusive charity events. He was convicted of one count of bribery.
Anna Ginandes, 46, and a man who cannot be named for legal reasons, were involved in running a company that provided services including security to entertainment venues in the West End. They were convicted of bribing Partridge with the Moroccan holiday for him and his family.
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