Sixth Met officer sacked after BBC Panorama film

"PA Media A Metropolitan Police sergeant who said a detainee "deserves to be beaten up" has become the sixth officer based at Charing Cross police station to be sacked following a BBC investigation. Lawrence Hume, a detention sergeant, was dismissed on Friday at an accelerated misconduct hearing, which also heard he used a derogatory term to describe the detainee. October's Panorama programme showed officers calling for immigrants to be shot, revelling in the use of force and being dismissive of rape claims."

"In a six-minute clip, which was played to the panel several times, Sgt Hume also said of the same detainee, "Charge him, send him to prison, throw away the key," adding, "Don't care, deserves to be beaten up don't he." Panel chairman Cdr Jason Prins found Sgt Hume's behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and dismissed him without notice. Cdr Prins said the sergeant was "unable to provide a satisfying answer" as to why he had said a detainee deserved to be beaten up."

""He made the comments on two occasions unprompted," Cdr Prins added. "He was in a leadership position responsible for the welfare of detainees." An allegation that Sgt Hume's comments indicated a clear intention to minimise and not record levels of force used in custody was found to be unproven. On 28 October, Sgt Clayton Robinson was dismissed after a panel heard he had "trivialised the allegation" of a woman during a rape investigation and "mocked the victim" by singing a song with another officer."

Lawrence Hume, a Metropolitan Police detention sergeant at Charing Cross, was dismissed at an accelerated misconduct hearing after recorded comments that a detainee deserved to be beaten and the use of a derogatory term. The comments appeared in footage linked to a BBC Panorama investigation that showed officers advocating violence, celebrating use of force and being dismissive of rape allegations. Panel chairman Cdr Jason Prins ruled Hume's conduct gross misconduct and dismissed him without notice, noting the sergeant could not provide a satisfactory explanation and had leadership responsibility for detainee welfare. An allegation about intent to minimise force records was found unproven. Other officers, including Sgt Clayton Robinson and PC Jason Sinclair-Birt, were also dismissed following related hearings.

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