A Metropolitan Police officer has been sacked after being secretly filmed making “floridly racist” comments and “glorifying the use of inappropriate force”. Pc Philip Neilson, who worked at Charing Cross police station, was caught on camera for a BBC Panorama documentary making the remarks while off-duty.
The hearing in south London was told that Pc Neilson suggested an immigrant who had overstayed his visa should be shot, saying “either put a bullet through his head or deport him”. He also described Algerians and Somalians as “scum” and referred to an “invasion” of the UK by migrants.
Commander Jason Prins, chairman of the hearing, said he was satisfied the breaches of conduct amounted to gross misconduct and dismissed Pc Neilson without notice. “It was or must have been obvious to him that the comments made were abhorrent,” Mr Prins said. “The conduct of the officer is a disgrace.”
The footage also showed Pc Neilson boasting about using pressure points on a juvenile detainee, which he later described as a “misguided attempt at bravado”. He denied using inappropriate force and said he had been assaulted by the detainee.
Pc Neilson accepted his remarks were inappropriate but said they were made while intoxicated after drinking eight or nine pints of Guinness. His lawyer argued the comments amounted to misconduct only, but the panel found gross misconduct. The officer denied being racist, saying the undercover reporter had breached his human rights.
