According to testimony given before a hearing, a police officer who developed an anti-drugs strategy for the Met smoked cannabis every day while receiving accolades from Dame Cressida Dick for his work.
Since joining the police in 1976, Commander Julian Bennett has been accused of using LSD, using magic mushrooms, and neglecting to submit a drug test when it was thought that he could have used cannabis on July 21, 2020.
The claims state that he afterwards made up a tale to cover up his failure to provide a test.
It is stated in a third accusation that Cdr. Bennett gave an incorrect justification for refusing to provide a sample for a with-cause drug test on July 21, 2020, and that his actions damage public trust in the police department.
Additionally, he is charged with violating the force’s standards for dishonest behaviour, honesty, and integrity, as well as directives and commands.
He was known as “sacker” and had a reputation for being stern with renegade police while presiding over disciplinary sessions, but he now risks being fired from the service.
He presided over 74 misconduct trials involving 90 cops between 2010 and 2012, and he dismissed 56 officers. During that period, he presided over 69 sessions and dismissed two officers for drug abuse.
Dealing with the Impact of Drugs on Communities, written by Commander Bennett, is the force’s anti-drug plan for the period of 2017 to 2021.
The strategy outlined the force’s goals for “raising awareness” of the risks associated with drug usage. If a new approach has been adopted, it is unclear.
But once the charges surfaced in July 2020, he was suspended.
The cop said he had used cannabidiol, a kind of medicinal marijuana, to treat facial palsy, but it was shown at a previous hearing that he “known to be incorrect” about this assertion.
According to his attorney John Beggs QC, he had been obtaining medicinal marijuana “from Holland and Barrett and the like.”
A nurse who was his lodger for seven weeks and is considering publishing a book about the allegations was the crucial witness in the case against him, but she failed to appear for the disciplinary hearing at the Met’s Empress State Building in West Brompton, West London.
She claimed to be ill when the hearing started on August 30 and was “resting” on Friday.
The case should now be dropped, according to Mr. Beggs, who said it would have been reasonable to delay the hearing in the past. He accused the police of trying to gain an unfair advantage so they could convict someone.
He said, “This guy has a long and honourable career in the police.”
To take a current example, “This is not a guy who is a junior officer suspected of sending some obscene WhatsApp messages.” The most senior members of this unit often commended this commander.
His exceptional performance was noted during the weeks when he is said to have used cannabis every day.
It was around this time that the then-Commissioner [Cressida Dick] was expressing her gratitude for his outstanding work.
He continued by saying that the force’s accusations are supported by the main witness’s book.
She has a clear, sometimes snarky, and ugly animosity against my client, he said.
No one ever smelled even a trace of marijuana throughout that time. He denies ever using marijuana or any other prohibited substance.
On July 21, 2020, he may have tested positive for drugs for a completely legitimate cause if he had taken a test. He acknowledges that he ought to have taken the drug test.
He has been ingesting cannabis tinctures and oils from companies like Holland and Barrett. He had a pretty painful medical condition, therefore he was taking them.
“The oils may provide falsely favourable outcomes while relieving the face’s very uncomfortable and humiliating sensations.”
He joined the Metropolitan Police in 1976 when James Callaghan took over for Harold Wilson. This panel must treat him fairly in all respects.
A year’s worth of WhatsApp chats, from December 2019 to February 2021, that the police is allegedly utilising as evidence are missing, he said.
The court was informed that Mario is mentioned in the messages.
Mr. Beggs said that he thought it was unreasonable to depend on the key witness’ testimony as hearsay and to urge “the complainant to become the disclosure officer” in order for her to release communications.
She wouldn’t have to be present at the hearing if her testimony was accepted as hearsay, which would prevent cross-examination.
He continued by saying that the case was initially not “fast tracked” by the force because there was little to no disagreement regarding the facts, but that they are now attempting to move forward without the key witness, which would put the procedure in a situation similar to that in which it had been fast tracked.
He continued by drawing comparisons between the way the Met handled this case and the case of Liam Allan, a criminology graduate who was charged with rape before having the charges withdrawn three days before his trial.
The Met issued him an apology for how it handled his case after a review.
Mr Beggs has urged for a similar assessment to be conducted out into his client’s situation.
If found guilty of gross misconduct, Commander Bennett will be disqualified from serving in the police for the rest of his life and may risk his pension being slashed.
During his career, Commander Bennett has worked in a variety of high-profile jobs, including operations to fight moped gangs in London and the organising of the London 2012 Olympics.
He also led the tribunal that fired PC Simon Harwood, the Met police officer who attacked and shoved Ian Tomlinson as he walked away from riot policemen on the edge of the G20 riots in London.
He presided over a committee that dismissed misconduct allegations against five police officers involved in the shooting death of musician Sean Rigg in 2019.
The tribunal keeps going.