Senior Metropolitan Police commander Julian Bennett, who wrote an anti-drug technique, has been sacked after refusing to take a medicine check when he was accused of smoking hashish.
Julian Bennett served within the Met Police since 1976. A disciplinary panel has immediately cleared Bennett after allegations he took medicine earlier than heading off to work at New Scotland Yard.
Nevertheless he was discovered to have dedicated gross misconduct by failing to supply a urine pattern for a medicine check on July 21, 2020. Bennett’s former flatmate Sheila Gomes claimed he had used the illicit substance every day earlier than breakfast.
The concept was rejected by a three-person panel, who additionally rejected an allegation that he had given an evidence for refusing a pattern which he “knew to be unfaithful”.
After 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 an alternative, 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 stage” and compromised her integrity if Bennett had been allowed to resign on the spot. Bennett mentioned he had been taking CBD (cannabidiol) to deal with facial palsy and was nervous the pattern would come up constructive for an harmless purpose.
Panel chairman Akbar Khan mentioned: “It’s extremely inconceivable the officer believed he had an excellent purpose for failing to adjust to a lawful order. Hurt has undoubtedly been prompted to the repute of the Metropolitan Police Service.”
He added that Bennett almost definitely determined to contain the ex-commissioner “to safe for himself high-level cowl to deflect inevitable criticism and embarrassment that will come his approach”.
The chairman additionally mentioned ”if the purpose of resignation was to keep away from embarrassig” the Met, then it was ”unlikely to be achieved”. Khan mentioned 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 an excellent purpose to refuse a pattern.
Outlining the panel’s causes for sacking the officer, Khan mentioned he had ”proven restricted perception concerning the confirmed conduct”. He mentioned this may increasingly lead the general public to be “involved his mindset demonstrates an angle of 1 rule for senior officers and a distinct rule for a decrease rank officer”.
Khan mentioned it was nonetheless ”extremely inconceivable” that Bennett smoked hashish every day. By failing to supply the pattern, Bennett was discovered to have breached pressure requirements for honesty and integrity, orders and directions and discreditable conduct.
Bennett wrote the pressure’s medicine technique for 2017-21 as a commander for territorial policing. The doc, referred to as Dealing With The Influence Of Medication On Communities, arrange plans to boost “consciousness of the affect of drug misuse”.
Allegations that he took magic mushrooms on vacation in France and LSD at a celebration had been dismissed as rumour by the panel through the summer season’s tribunal listening to.
These claims had been made by Hugo Pereria, who lived with the complainant Gomes and Bennett in late 2019. Bennett will attraction towards the panel’s determination.
His solicitors mentioned in a press release: “The panel discovered that Cdr Bennett didn’t take any medicine, 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 an absence of integrity that he had not been charged with, Cdr Bennett has no selection however to attraction in order that the sanction determination is retaken on a correct moderately than improper foundation.”
Met Police Assistant Commissioner Barbara Grey mentioned: “Julian Bennett’s actions had 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 among such a senior rank, refused a lawful order to take a medicine check.
“Commander Bennett was extremely skilled and knew full effectively what was required of him, but he made a selection 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 boldness of our personal officers and workers in those that lead them.”