A Metropolitan Police detective displayed graphic crime scene photographs of a murdered 18-year-old model to colleagues for what a tribunal heard was 'entertainment and bragging rights'. Detective Sergeant Jason Grafham, who retired last week, is accused of keeping photocopies of images from the 2005 rape and murder of Sally Anne Bowman, a promising model and hairdresser from Croydon, South London.
The misconduct hearing at Palestra House in Southwark heard that Grafham, formerly of the Central Specialist Crime: Major Inquiries unit, frequently spoke about his role as an exhibits officer in the Bowman case. He admitted three allegations of sexually inappropriate remarks but denied two further such allegations and three allegations of derogatory or discriminatory remarks.
Details of the Case
Sally Anne Bowman was raped and murdered by Mark Dixie on September 25, 2005, just two weeks after her 18th birthday. Her body was found naked in a pool of blood, dumped in a skip. Dixie, a pub chef, was arrested in June 2006 after a minor scuffle; his DNA linked him to the murder. He was convicted at the Old Bailey in 2008 and sentenced to life with a minimum of 34 years. The case remains one of the UK's most high-profile murders.
The tribunal heard that multiple officers reported Grafham telling colleagues he had photos of the crime scene. On December 23, 2024, his desk was searched and 'extremely graphic' photocopies were seized from a locked cabinet. One witness, named only as Miss C, described Grafham as a 'reconstituted dinosaur' who believed he was 'a legend in his own lifetime'. She said his frequent mentions of the case became a 'running joke'.
Witness Testimony
Miss C testified that Grafham's references to the case were not professional but more like 'an old war story'. Another witness, Miss B, said in a written statement that she believed Grafham was showing the photos for 'entertainment and bragging rights'. She told the tribunal: 'It wasn't formal, it felt like he was bragging, it wasn't for any educational purposes. I felt he was showing off.'
A third witness, Miss A, reported that Grafham made sexually inappropriate comments to her but added that he 'shouldn't have been at work' due to personal issues, including the death of his son. His line manager, Detective Inspector Louise Caveen, said she was aware Grafham was seeking help for an alcohol problem but he remained in post until his suspension in December 2024.
Defence Argument
Mark Scrutton, representing Grafham from the Police Federation, argued that the former detective kept the photocopies for 'policing purposes', calling them a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' to teach crime scene investigators. He said Grafham was 'incredibly proud' of his role in convicting Dixie. However, the tribunal's counsel, Ms McCullough, countered that the photos were not used for training and that Grafham's conduct perpetuated the deprivation of dignity Ms Bowman suffered in death.
The result of the hearing is expected on Friday morning. Grafham was not present for the hearing as police misconduct hearings cannot oblige non-employees to attend.
