A Metropolitan Police detective showed colleagues crime scene photographs from the murder of Sally Anne Bowman for “entertainment and bragging rights”, a misconduct hearing has been told. Jason Grafham, who retired as a detective sergeant last Friday, was involved in the investigation into the rape and murder of the 18-year-old more than 20 years ago. He denies that he kept photocopies of pictures taken from the crime scene where Ms Bowman’s body was found in 2005.
Allegations of inappropriate behaviour
The tribunal also heard that Mr Grafham made a string of sexually inappropriate remarks to three colleagues between March and December 2024. Police misconduct hearings cannot oblige non-employees to attend, and Mr Grafham, who retired last Friday July 10, was not present. Mark Scrutton, representing Mr Grafham as a member of the Police Federation, told the hearing at Palestra House, Southwark, south London, that the former detective admitted three allegations of sexually inappropriate remarks. He also denied a further two allegations of sexually inappropriate remarks, and three allegations of derogatory and/or discriminatory remarks.
Background of the case
The hearing heard Mr Grafham, who was based in the Central Specialist Crime: Major Inquiries unit, was said to have been “proud” of his involvement as an exhibits officer in the Sally Anne Bowman case, talking about it frequently in both formal and informal capacities. Ms Bowman’s body was found naked in a pool of blood in the early hours of 25 September 2005 after she was “mutilated and raped repeatedly” as she lay dead or dying. Mark Dixie was found guilty of rape and murder in 2008 and jailed for life with a minimum term of 34 years.
Search of desk
After multiple officers in Mr Grafham’s team reported he had told colleagues he had photos of the crime scene, and even showed one colleague the pictures, his desk was searched on December 23 2024 and “extremely graphic” photocopies were seized from a locked cabinet in his desk drawer.
Witness testimony
The tribunal was told by a witness, named only as Miss C, that it had become a “running joke” how frequently Mr Grafham had mentioned the case to colleagues. Miss C told the hearing she thought Mr Grafham was a “reconstituted dinosaur” who believed he was a “legend in his own lifetime”. She added: “That job featured highly in his mind because it was very high profile. Every time he got a cold case through he said ‘run it through Mark Dixie’s fluid in case it was him’, and I just thought ‘let it go’.” Asked whether the photos were being used for training, she said: “Not in a professional way, no. More of an old war story.”
Another witness, named only as Miss B, who did not see the photocopies of the photographs herself, said in a written statement that she thought Mr Grafham was showing them for “entertainment and bragging rights”. She then told the tribunal: “It wasn’t the first time I’d heard him talking about it, he obviously worked on it. He liked to hold court, to talk about jobs he worked on, especially high profile. However on this occasion it was highly inappropriate, I found it disturbing. It wasn’t formal, it felt like he was bragging, it wasn’t for any educational purposes. I felt he was showing off.”
Sexually inappropriate comments
Meanwhile, another woman, known only as Miss A, told the tribunal Mr Grafham made sexually inappropriate comments towards her. But she said he “shouldn’t have been at work” due to issues in his personal life. She told the hearing: “He was vulnerable. When his son died it destroyed him. The organisation should take some responsibility because they never safeguarded (him).”
Line manager's account
The tribunal also spoke to Mr Grafham’s line manager, Detective Inspector Louise Caveen, who said she was aware that Mr Grafham was seeking help for an alcohol problem but that, despite inconsistent work attendance, he remained in post until his suspension in December 2024. The hearing continues on Wednesday.
