13th Met officer sacked over BBC Panorama racism and misogyny probe at Charing Cross
PC Mason O'Connor dismissed for telling a female colleague he hoped she would be raped. He is the 13th officer fired following the BBC Panorama investigation.
Thirteenth Metropolitan Police officer dismissed over Charing Cross misconduct
A 13th serving Metropolitan Police officer has been dismissed following an undercover BBC Panorama investigation into misogyny and racism at Charing Cross police station, theguardian.com reports.
PC Mason O'Connor was found to have committed discreditable conduct and breached professional behaviour standards. A disciplinary panel heard on Tuesday that O'Connor told a female colleague in October 2024 that he "hope[d] you get raped on your way to Waterloo" — a remark made while he was off-duty in a pub.
The Panorama documentary aired in October 2025, following seven months of undercover filming. It captured officers calling for immigrants to be shot and boasting about using violence against suspects. The Metropolitan Police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, described the footage at the time as "vile to watch" and said it contained "incontrovertible evidence" that would enable the fast-tracking of misconduct hearings.
O'Connor's case was brought forward as part of a witness appeal and a "proactive wider investigation" launched after the Panorama broadcast.
His sacking follows the recent dismissal of PC Lloyd Hunter, who was found to have made comments trivialising the use of force and suggesting he would enjoy deploying it against members of the public. Hunter also stated he "hated" homeless people.
Commander Simon Messinger, from the Met's professionalism department, said: "Two more officers have now been dismissed for their appalling comments and attitudes. I hope this sends a very clear message about the standards we expect from all our officers and the Met's determination to improve our culture across the organisation."
Messinger added that the force continues to support the ongoing investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
The IOPC confirmed that investigations are continuing against 15 other officers or police staff. Misconduct has also been identified from footage supplied by the BBC that was not included in the Panorama broadcast.
A gross misconduct hearing is scheduled for later this month concerning comments made by a detention officer about the treatment of people held in police custody.
Amanda Rowe, the IOPC's director of engagement, said: "This is one of our largest ever investigations in terms of the number of officers investigated, and the sheer number of fast-tracked disciplinary proceedings show how seriously the IOPC and the Met, who held the misconduct hearings, are treating this matter."
Both O'Connor and Hunter will be barred from rejoining the police force.
Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)