Senior police officer who refused to provide sample for drugs test sacked

A Metropolitan Police commander has misplaced his job after a disciplinary panel discovered he refused to supply a pattern for a medication check when he was accused of smoking hashish.

Julian Bennett, who served within the pressure from 1976, was cleared by a disciplinary panel of utilizing the drug at residence in late 2019.

Nonetheless he was discovered to have dedicated gross misconduct by failing to supply a urine pattern for a medication check on July 21 2020.

Mr Bennett’s former flatmate Sheila Gomes claimed he had used the illicit substance every day earlier than breakfast and leaving for work at New Scotland Yard, however the three-person panel rejected that allegation.

The panel additionally rejected an allegation that he had given an evidence for refusing a pattern which he “knew to be unfaithful”.

After Ms Gomes reported Mr Bennett in July 2020, he was referred to as in and, within the presence of an assistant commissioner, was requested to supply a pattern.

He supplied to resign on the spot as a substitute, and requested for a gathering with then-commissioner Dame Cressida Dick.

Mark Ley-Morgan KC, representing the Metropolitan Police, mentioned it will have smacked of “organised corruption on the highest degree” and compromised her integrity if Mr Bennett had been allowed to resign on the spot.

Mr Bennett mentioned he had been taking CBD (cannabidiol) to deal with facial palsy and was apprehensive the pattern would come up optimistic for an harmless purpose.

Panel chairman Akbar Khan mentioned: “It’s extremely unbelievable the officer believed he had a superb purpose for failing to adjust to a lawful order.

“Hurt has undoubtedly been prompted to the popularity of the Metropolitan Police Service.”

He added that Mr Bennett almost definitely determined to contain the ex-commissioner “to safe for himself high-level cowl to deflect inevitable criticism and embarrassment that may come his method”.

The chairman additionally mentioned that “if the aim of resignation was to keep away from embarrassing” the Met this was “unlikely to be achieved”.

Mr Khan mentioned Mr Bennett’s behaviour was “deliberate and intentional, looking for a private benefit or particular therapy from the commissioner” and that he would have had a “distinctive perception” into what would have been a superb purpose to refuse a pattern.

Outlining the panel’s causes for sacking Mr Bennett, Mr Khan mentioned he had “proven restricted perception relating to the confirmed conduct”.

He mentioned this may occasionally lead the general public to be “involved his mindset demonstrates an perspective of 1 rule for senior officers and a distinct rule for a decrease rank officer”.

Talking of Ms Gomes’s claims, the panel chairman mentioned she “exaggerates”, “lies” and that a few of her claims have been “solely fabricated”.

He added: “Total, the panel finds Sheila Gomes’s account to be unpersuasive and missing in cogency.

“Of explicit significance are the panel’s findings that Sheila Gomes exaggerates and has lied considerably damages her credibility and reliability.

“It’s extremely unbelievable that the officer smoked hashish every day.”

By failing to supply the pattern, Mr Bennett was discovered to have breached pressure requirements for honesty and integrity, orders and directions and discreditable conduct.

Mr Bennett wrote the pressure’s medication technique for 2017-21 as a commander for territorial policing.

The doc, referred to as Dealing With The Impression Of Medication On Communities, arrange plans to boost “consciousness of the affect of drug misuse”.

He chaired misconduct panels over a number of years and freedom of data requests confirmed he presided over 74 police misconduct hearings involving 90 officers between June 2010 and February 2012.

Out of the hearings involving Mr Bennett, 56 officers have been dismissed – greater than three-quarters.

He chaired 69 hearings throughout that point and two officers have been dismissed for drug misuse, the figures confirmed.

Allegations that he took magic mushrooms on vacation in France and LSD at a celebration have been dismissed as rumour by the panel throughout the summer time’s tribunal listening to.

These claims have been made by Hugo Pereria, who lived with the complainant Ms Gomes and Mr Bennett in late 2019, however the tribunal was advised he “at all times lied” earlier than the panel threw out the claims.

Mr Bennett will enchantment towards the panel’s determination.

His solicitors mentioned in a press release: “The panel discovered that Cdr Bennett didn’t take any medication, hashish or in any other case.

“The panel discovered Cdr Bennett responsible of refusing to take a drug check, one thing he had at all times admitted.

“The panel additionally discovered Cdr Bennett responsible of misconduct that he had not been charged with: this considerations an alleged lack of integrity.

“This discovering was regardless of the prosecution agreeing with the defence that this was not a permissible discovering.

“Since Cdr Bennett has been discovered responsible of a scarcity of integrity that he had not been charged with, Cdr Bennett has no alternative however to enchantment in order that the sanction determination is retaken on a correct fairly than improper foundation.”

Met Police Assistant Commissioner Barbara Grey mentioned: “Julian Bennett’s actions have been deplorable. He was a senior officer and confirmed full disregard and disrespect for the requirements we should all uphold.

“The general public will justifiably be outraged that any police officer, however notably one in every of such a senior rank, refused a lawful order to take a medication check.

“Commander Bennett was extremely skilled and knew full nicely what was required of him, but he made a alternative to not co-operate. He may have been in little question of the skilled requirements required as he was accountable for chairing the misconduct hearings of quite a few officers between 2010 and 2016.

“His actions have additional broken not solely the general public’s belief in us as an organisation, but additionally the arrogance of our personal officers and employees in those that lead them.”