A Metropolitan Police officer who was responsible for maintaining high policing standards has been convicted of stalking and will now face an accelerated misconduct hearing.
Officer's role and conviction
Timothy Fory, of the Met’s directorate of professional standards, was convicted of stalking Stephanie Lane, who was also a detective at the force, from July to September 2024, following a trial at City of London Magistrates’ Court.
The court was told that Mr Fory persistently sent Ms Lane messages and followed her at an event during an eight-week period of stalking.
Background of the relationship
The pair had a brief relationship, but they broke up as Ms Lane thought Mr Fory was not respecting her boundaries, the hearing was told. Mr Fory, 34, then “persistently” sent her messages on WhatsApp, before turning to Instagram and Facebook when he was blocked.
In one message, Mr Fory sent Ms Lane a link to Ann Summers lingerie, the court heard. Ms Lane replied to the message saying: “I’m starting to think you’ve not registered that we’re not seeing each other anymore.” Mr Fory replied that he was still “going to imagine you in stockings”.
In another message, Mr Fory asked Ms Lane “Why are you looking so sexy?”, and added: “I want to put my arms around you.”
Impact on the victim
Prosecutor George Crivelli told the court that Mr Fory also followed Ms Lane at a social event in which “everywhere she went he followed”.
In a victim impact statement, Ms Lane said that Mr Fory was “spiteful” and “vindictive” and his actions left her “anxious, nervous and on edge”. She said she has struggled sleeping, and that the stalking has “affected” her work, especially when cases “similar” to her own come up.
Sentencing and consequences
Mr Fory had denied stalking without fear, alarm or distress in March of last year, but was convicted of the offence after a trial last month. On Monday, he was given a 12-month community order, and he must carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of a rehabilitation requirement.
He was also given a five-year restraining order, meaning he cannot contact Ms Lane directly or indirectly, and was made to pay £775 and a statutory surcharge of £114.
District Judge Caroline Jackson said that Mr Fory was in a “position of trust”, saying: “You of all people ought to be fully aware and appreciate the impact your actions have on people.” The judge told the defendant: “I am saddened that you still don’t appreciate and understand the impact of your conduct.”
She also said that a pre-sentence report showed Mr Fory still believed that Ms Lane had sent him “mixed messages”. She added that his “worrying” behaviour only stopped because he was blocked on the platforms.
Next steps
Miranda Zeffman, defending, said that Mr Fory, who has no previous convictions, will now look to work in the construction industry. Mr Fory was suspended from duty in February 2025, and now faces an accelerated misconduct hearing as soon as possible.
Detective Chief Superintendent Iain Keating of professional standards said: “DC Fory’s behaviour is a discredit to the thousands of Met officers who are committed to tackling offences against women and girls in London. His actions are even more concerning given he is attached to the Met’s directorate of professional standards, a unit directly responsible for investigating misconduct and upholding high standards across the Met. This court result, off the back of a swift investigation by officers, is a welcome one that I hope reassures women and girls, including the victim in this case, that the kind of conduct shown by DC Fory will not be tolerated.”
