A woman is taking legal action against the Metropolitan Police after the detective investigating her case pursued her romantically and was able to keep his job.
Kristina O’Connor, now 33, – the daughter of late comedian Des O’Connor – contacted the police after she was assaulted by a group of men trying to steal her phone in October 2011.
DCI James Mason, who was at the time of the incident a detective sergeant, responded to her report of attempted robbery and asked her out for dinner while taking her statement.
He proceeded to send her numerous inappropriate messages and emails, one telling her she was ‘amazingly hot’.
The incident diminished Ms O’Connor’s trust in the police, and she filed a complaint about his behaviour.
‘I feel that I am as likely to be abused by a police officer as I am by anyone else and perhaps even more likely, as I’ve seen that police officers can harm people with impunity. I am fearful of having to call or depend on the police,’ she said.
A panel at a police misconduct hearing found DCI Mason – who went on to work alongside Metropolitan Police commissioner Dame Cressida Dick – guilty of gross misconduct last year.
However, he still remains as a serving officer, a decision that has appalled Ms O’Connor.
‘I question what it takes for an officer to be dismissed. It makes a mockery of the misconduct process that he continues to serve,’ Ms O’Connor said.
Her legal team is now arguing the Met Police ‘failed to properly investigate’ her complaint against DCI Mason due to gender discrimination, and is calling for a judicial review of how the investigation was handled.
Solicitor Nancy Collins said her client was subjected to ‘terrible misogynist culture’ throughout the incident which highlighted there was ‘more than just a rotten apple’ within the force.
‘When [Ms O’Connor] then decided to step forward and complain about this, the Met, I think because the culture of misogyny is so deep-rooted, failed to recognise that her complaint had raised issues of sex discrimination and, we say, didn’t investigate it,’ she said.
The lawyer claimed Ms O’Connor was kept out of the loop throughout the misconduct hearing, and was not informed about panel’s decision even after it had reached one.
She explained: ‘She felt very excluded from the process. She wasn’t kept informed. In fact the panel when home having reached a conclusion. Nobody told Kristina it had gone home, so she was waiting in the building. That experience for her was pretty traumatic.’
Ms O’Connor echoed the sentiments describing her experience of the misconduct trial as ‘terrible’ with a ‘complete lack of care and support’ for victims.
The Metropolitan Police said it recognised the need for change within the force, and is aware of the judicial review but said it was not prepared to discuss the case further.
A spokesperson said: ‘We recognise there is a need for real change in the Met. We are committed to creating an environment that is intolerant to those who do not uphold the high values and standards expected of us.
‘Any victim of crime should have the confidence and trust to come to the police to receive the support and professionalism they rightfully expect.
‘Where this does not happen, we want to know about it so any learning and, if appropriate, disciplinary action can be taken.’
The Independent Office for Police Misconduct (IOPC), which is listed as an interested party in the case, said Ms O’Connor had not appealed when it decided the case should be investigated as gross misconduct.
A spokesman said: ‘The IOPC agrees there is serious public concern about abuse of position by police officers for the purposes of sexual gain, which should be taken into account when assessing the degree to which confidence in policing may have been undermined and the appropriate sanction.’
The case comes as London Mayor Sadiq Khan put Dame Cressida on notice after an IOPC report found ‘disgraceful’ misogyny, discrimination, bullying and sexual harassment took place amongst officers at Charing Cross.
The commissioner has said ‘enough is enough’ in a letter to colleagues that warned of public trust diminishing, according to The Telegraph.
‘Our reputation is tarnished and people’s confidence in us has fallen. This is serious and urgent.
‘To lose public consent would be unthinkable. Action is needed now. Enough is enough,’ she is said to have written.
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