A Met Police officer who fondled a colleague's breast then told her 'I'm only an old p**f' has been sacked. Police Sergeant Sidney Rogers, who is gay, was off duty at The Bull pub in Wanstead, East London, when he reached over and grabbed his colleague's chest over her clothing, telling her 'you straight people' before making the 'p**f' comment when she protested at his grope, a tribunal heard.
PS Rogers - who was separately accused of sexual misconduct by another officer but had no case to answer - was said to have consumed 1/2 a glass of prosecco and 5 single vodkas with lemonade over the course of the evening, which began at another nearby pub, The George. Other officers who gave witness evidence described Rogers as 'extremely' or 'very' drunk, and 'obnoxious'.
The panel found the victim, Officer A, more credible than Rogers, an LGBT advocate in the force, who claimed his memory of events had improved with time. Officer A said she was left 'angry' and 'embarrassed' by what happened, and said she had been effected by Rogers' attempt to label her a 'poorly performing officer' who had only complained due to issues with her own performance.
The officer faced a misconduct panel after the incident (Image: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Commander Katie Lilburn wrote: Not only did he attack the reputation of Officer A, but his defence attacked the reputation of numerous other officers; PC Samuels, PS Donohoe and PC Mack. Although we accept this was a one off drunken incident which was out of character, we do not consider that alcohol is an excuse for his inappropriate behaviour."
A Met Police spokesperson said: "The panel found that PS Sidney Rogers was proven to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour of Discreditable Conduct at a level of Gross Misconduct. PS Rogers was dismissed with immediate effect and will be placed on the College of Policing Barred List."
No police misconduct took place in the death of a man, 41, who fell into the Thames after being Tasered by police on Chelsea Bridge, the Independent Office for Police Misconduct has ruled. Oladeji Omishore, aged 41, died on June 4, 2022 after he fell into the River Thames following his interaction with the two police officers.
The hearing could not conclude the death of Mr Omishore, who was suffering a mental health crisis, was ‘probably caused’ by the police officers, a jury found at the Inner West London Coroner’s Court on Monday (March 24).
Mr Omishore, who was holding a long-nosed metal and plastic lighter, was Tasered multiple times by one of the officers, for a total of eight-and-a-half seconds. He died from complications from drowning after falling into the Thames while jumping over the bridge railings. No indication that either officer committed a criminal offence or in a way that justified disciplinary proceedings was found by the IOPC.
The investigation looked into the officers conduct, as well as allegations from Mr Omishore's family that the officers behaved in a discriminatory manner, used unnecessary and unreasonable force, and complaints about the wording used in a statement released by the Met on the day the incident took place.
Neighbours previously told MyLondon Deji was a 'really nice guy' (Image: Oladeji Adeyemi Omishore)
Two Met officers had responded to the incident on Chelsea Bridge after seven 999 calls were made by the public over concerns for a man reported to be holding a screwdriver or knife in the middle of the road on the bridge and shouting. Mr Omishore was actually holding a long-nose metal and plastic lighter.
He was Tasered multiple times by an officer, captured on body-worn footage. The first three times were when he did not comply with officers orders to drop the object he was carrying and get on the ground, instead moving towards the police.
Mr Omishore then ran towards the barrier bridge separating the road and footpath after being Tasered a fourth time. A Taser was discharged a fifth time, which did not connect, as he jumped over the bridge railings.
He then jumped over the railings and fell into the water. Mr Omishore was then rescued by the Royal National Lifeguard Institute, assisted by Met marine officers, and taken to hospital where he died later that evening. The period from the officers’ arrival to when Mr Omishore entered the river was around 68 seconds.
'Police have a duty to protect the public from harm'
During the investigation both officers stated that they believed the incident may be a terrorist attack (Image: Oladeji Adeyemi Omishore)
IOPC Director Amanda Rowe said: “Firstly, I want to reiterate our sincere condolences to the Omishore family. This was a terrible tragedy and we have ensured that they have remained updated about our investigation.
“Officers are allowed to use force when they honestly believe it is necessary to defend themselves or others. This was a fast-paced and distressing incident for the officers and we found the evidence suggested that the officers honestly and reasonably believed Mr Omishore was in possession of a weapon.
“Police have a duty to protect the public from harm and the officers saw several members of the public fleeing the area as they arrived. Mr Omishore’s behaviour was unpredictable and we found that the evidence did not indicate that the decision of one of the officers to Taser him, in order to detain him, was unnecessary or disproportionate in the circumstances.
“It’s impossible to know whether Mr Omishore would have jumped into the Thames if the officers’ had not attempted to detain him using the Taser, although had they succeeded in detaining him, he could not have done so.”
During the investigation both officers stated that they believed the incident may be a terrorist attack as it took place during the Queen’s Jubilee weekend, when there was a heightened terror alert.
The IOPC found this, or that the officers believed Mr Omishore was in possession of a knife or screwdriver, to be reasonable. It also found the officers' assessment of the risk posed to themselves and the public to be non-discriminatory.
However, it did find that the Met should not have said in their initial media statement that the officers tasered Mr Omishore to ‘safely detain him’, as the intent of the officers would form part of the investigation.
Separate investigation for conduct as witnesses
A separate investigation into the two officers, who did not comply as witnesses, found that their conduct was not serious enough to justify disciplinary proceedings. The officers refused to answer any questions during face-to-face interviews held on November 23 and 25, 2022. They had provided self-written statements to the IOPC on December 13, 2022.
The investigations considered factors like the significant media attention around the case, mis-guided advice from police federation representatives and that they showed some level of co-operation.
However, it did recommend to the Met that both officers should be “subject to practice requiring improvement, via the reflective practice review process, regarding their lack of cooperation during witness interviews.”
A man has been rushed to hospital after being stabbed in South London. The incident took place on Parry Place in Woolwich earlier today (Thursday, March 27).
The stabbing took place on the Greenwich road shortly before 1.30pm, with the London Ambulance Service (LAS) being called to the scene following the incident. Paramedics reportedly arrived at the scene within four minutes of being contacted, where the man was treated for injuries he had sustained.
An LAS spokesperson told MyLondon: "We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, a paramedic in a fast response car, an incident response officer and a paramedic from our tactical response unit."
The London Ambulance Service was called to the scene following the incident (stock image) (Image: Getty)
The victim was reportedly treated at the scene before being taken to a major trauma centre as a priority. MyLondon has approached the Met Police for further information.
A huge family-friendly Eid ul-Fitr event is returning to East London next week. The 1Eid Festival will take over Ilford's Goodmayes Park for two days between March 30 and April 1, depending on when Eid falls, to mark the end of Ramadan.
Now in it's 18th year, the popular event is jam-packed with things to do and see. There will be a petting zoo, circus performers, fire jugglers, axe throwing, sumo competitions and over 30 funfair attractions for adults and children of all ages to enjoy.
Part of the park is also being transformed into a market selling artisan products, toys, clothes and home décor. Of course, no event is complete without food so there'll be plenty of stalls serving up cuisine from around the world, plus desserts and soft drinks.
Guests can expect a carnival atmosphere with plenty of games, food and stalls (Image: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
A mass prayer is also planned for 10am on Eid, as well as a 30-minute fireworks show at around 9.30pm. The Eid festival will take from 11am to 10pm, with the second day scheduled for 1pm to 9.30pm.
Tickets start at £2 and can be purchased online, including family and parking bundles. They can also be bought in person at the gate but may be more expensive.
Parking is available on Eid only in the Orchard Playing Fields, which is around seven minutes walk from the park. The Elizabeth line also stops at the nearby Goodmayes and Chadwell Heath stations, both of which are less than 20 minutes away on foot.
For more information, head to the 1Eid Festival event's page.
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A passenger on a London tram died earlier this month after falling while on the service earlier this year. The incident took place on January 14 while the tram was passing Reeves Corner in Croydon.
Transport for London (TfL) confirmed in a recent report that the passenger died in hospital on March 8. The information was revealed in a document pack for a meeting of the transport authority's board on March 26.
The report included a summary of notable incidents on the capital's transport network in recent months. Other examples of accidents included a car colliding with a 308 bus on February 8 on Lea Bridge Road in Clapton, resulting in the driver dying while in hospital due to their injuries.
The incident occurred while the tram was passing through Reeves Corner in Croydon (Image: CC/ Peter Trimming)
Another example involved a car hitting a 395 bus that was stationary at a bus stop on Bessborough Road in Harrow. The incident happened on February 24 and led to a pedestrian dying after the car hit several people near the bus stop.
The report said: "Safety is the priority in everything we do, and it is neither inevitable nor acceptable that anyone should be killed or seriously injured when travelling in London."
It added: "We remain committed to delivering our Vision Zero action plan to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries on London’s transport network by 2041, and our Bus action plan, which set out our priorities to ensure no one is killed on, or by, a bus by 2030."
The fuel spillage at Thornton Heath bus garage was also mentioned in the report. Officers said that protecting the environment was fundamental to everything TfL did and it was working closely with the Environment Agency, the London Fire Brigade and local authorities to limit any environmental impact.
The report added: "Any pollution into London’s waterways is completely unacceptable and we will play our part in tackling river pollution both from roads we control and our vehicle fleet. A full investigation is under way into what happened."
A City of London Police Constable has been dismissed following a string of sexualised comments and behaviour towards female students he was training. PC Mathieu Merenda was found to have engaged in behaviour including sharing details of him cheating on his wife, standing close behind a young officer and touching her hip, and inappropriate communications with a trainee such as asking if she wanted to go for a drink.
In January 2022 he was convicted of driving a motor vehicle on a road without due care and attention after being involved in an incident in June two years' prior. He subsequently accepted a role as a tutor for the learning and development department at the City of London Police, primarily involving teaching traffic law.
Later in 2022 a constable reported PC Merenda for unwanted sexualised comments, and another alleged they had been the victim of sexual assault and touching.
Further complaints were made, which were largely denied by PC Merenda. While accepting some of the comments, he claimed they had been taken out of context, and denied breaching police standards.
Other allegations listed in the hearing report include that PC Merenda made a joke to one student about getting 'sticky fingers' after she requested help ordering uniform trousers, and an instance where it is claimed he asked a separate trainee 'what else do you struggle to put in?' while she was installing a lead into a laptop.
While there were some inconsistencies in the evidence regarding the latter claim, the panel found it was clear that 'what was said was sexualised and that it is reasonable to assume from the laughter that others in the class also had this interpretation'. The panel also found it 'more likely than not' that PC Merenda touched a student on the back and hip and pushed her downwards while he stood behind her, as if bending her over a table.
An account of this incident alleged: "You then pushed her down towards the table which later caused her to push back into your groin area, believing your actions to be horseplay by one of her female colleagues. On discovering that you were the perpetrator, PC B was upset and disgusted by this behaviour. This was witnessed by four student PCs: G, H, E and F."
Inconsistencies were again highlighted in the evidence provided at the hearing, though the panel noted all students referred to PC Merenda being 'physically close' to the trainee, adding this was 'completely unnecessary'.
Certain mitigating factors were considered, such as a letter PC Merenda submitted in which he accepted the findings. Commander Khan, however, wrote the letter made no reference to the distress caused or the damage to the police.
As such, the panel deemed PC Merenda's insight could 'at best' be described as 'at an early stage of development'. It decided to dismiss PC Merenda without notice.
Detective Superintendent Carly Humphreys, Professional Standards, said: "The findings of the misconduct panel relate to three allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Merenda that breached our standards of professional behaviour.
"As a trainer, Merenda was in contact with trainee officers and in a position of trust. He betrayed that trust and behaved in a sexualised manner, which was completely inappropriate. He has been dismissed with immediate effect.
"Trust and confidence in policing is essential and we take every action necessary to maintain our professional standards and expect all officers and staff to serve with honesty and integrity."
More migrants have been brought ashore at Dover after crossing the English Channel in small boats. A total of 241 people made the crossing on Saturday March 22 in four boats according to the latest figures from the Home Office.
This brings the total this year up to March 22 2025 to 5,512, according to analysis of the Government figures by the PA news agency. This compares to 4,306 by the same date in 2024 and 3,683 in 2023 while in 2022, 3,836 had crossed by March 22.
The highest number arriving in one day this year so far stands at 592 people, crossing the Channel in 11 boats on March 2. Among those being brought ashore at Dover by a Border Force vessel on Sunday were men and women, all wearing life jackets and some wrapped in blankets in the rainy conditions.
The French coastguard confirmed two migrants died in two days attempting to cross the Channel on Wednesday and Thursday. One person died after being pulled from the water while the other person died after trying to cross in an overloaded boat, despite rescue efforts to save them.
The UK signed a "road-map" agreement with France earlier this month aimed at bolstering co-operation to tackle people smuggling across the Channel. The Government's new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill also continues through Parliament with plans to introduce new criminal offences and hand counter terror-style powers to police and enforcement agencies to crack down on people smuggling gangs.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay. We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice."
A Number 10 spokesman said on Friday: "We've acknowledged that there is a flow of migrants into this country by illegal means on small boats and we've seen a number of incidents in this week in French waters. That's why this Government has put forward a serious credible plan to finally restore order to the chaos we inherited in our asylum system."
