Sacked rogue officers could be reinstated and owed backpay if Met Police loses legal challenge, chief warns
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Officers facing allegations of domestic abuse and sex attacks could be allowed to return to the Met if the force loses a legal battle over vetting. Rogue officers who were sacked over allegations of domestic and sexual abuse could be reinstated and owed thousands in backpay if the Metropolitan Police loses a High Court challenge over vetting rules, a senior officer has warned.
![[Former Met officer Wayne Couzens is saving a whole-life order for the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/03/04/00/aa9b2319d6cfc632a4a5ceeedf870bdfY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzA5NDE4MzQ3-2.75485426.jpg)
The force is defending a judicial review brought by a sergeant whose vetting was revoked following a series of unproven complaints about his conduct, including rape and sexual assault. He denies the allegations and has not been charged with, nor convicted of, any offence.
![[Sir Mark Rowley vowed to root out rogue officers and promised ‘more trust, less crime, high standards’ when he took over as Met commissioner]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/17/16/4bd85cb7b962e72584ccfbe89ca30d8cY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM0NTM2MTk1-2.77099786.jpg)
Sgt Lino Di Maria argues the decision to revoke his vetting – which will likely lead to his dismissal – is unlawful and has challenged updated vetting procedures designed to root out rogue officers. However assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor has warned the consequences will be “disastrous” if his legal bid is successful and could render the force powerless to strip unsuitable officers of their warrant card.
“It would put us in a hopeless position having to keep police officers who we don’t feel deserve or should hold the rank of constable,” he said. In the worst-case scenario, it could also see the Met forced to reinstate those it has already sacked under the re-vetting scheme, called Operation Assure, and forced to pay them backpay.
The majority of those referred to Operation Assure were men identified in a ten-year review of historic allegations of sexual misconduct and domestic abuse made against officers, launched in the wake of a series of scandals, including the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard by serving Met officer Wayne Couzens.
