A pair of Metropolitan Police officers have been sacked from the force after one farted in a female colleague’s face while the other took a picture of his genitals on her phone.
PC Wayne Sansom tilted his leg at a 45-degree angle before breaking wind just 10-15cm from the horrified woman’s face at Wembley Police Station in northwest London back in November 2021.
His colleague, Ben Jeffries, also made ‘inappropriate and discourteous comments’ about the same woman’s sexuality and heritage.
To make matters worse, Jeffries also took on the female colleague’s iPhone, a picture of his testicles during an Extinction Rebellion protest, the nine-day misconduct hearing heard.
When he was confronted to this, he shrugged and told the shocked woman: ‘Why are you getting offended? It’s just a picture of my balls.’
The two were swiftly taken off the force by the Metropolitan Police misconduct panel in central London, dismissed without warning for breaching multiple Standards of Professional Behaviour, including Discreditable Conduct, Authority, Respect and Courtesy, and Equality and Diversity.
Russell Ford, representing the Met Police at the hearing, revealed how PC Sansom invited the female officer, known as PC B, to ‘pull his finger’ at Wembley station.
‘When she declined, he passed wind in her face from around 10-15 cm away.’
PC Wayne Sansom tilted his leg at a 45-degree angle before breaking wind just 10-15cm from the horrified woman’s face at Wembley Police Station
His colleague, Ben Jeffries, also made ‘inappropriate and discourteous comments’ about the same woman’s sexuality and heritage
Sansom admitted to the ‘pull my finger remark’ but denied actually breaking wind.
Still, he ‘fully accepts his attempt at humour was misplaced and inappropriate in a modern policing workplace,’ said Mr Ford.
The misconduct panel also heard Sansom ‘turned his back, stood on his toes and passed wind in her face’ after she told him to move along.
The disgusting prank was backed up by another female officer who witnessed the shocking scene.
‘He described how after he asked the PC to pull his finger, PC Sansom, in close proximity, turned away from her and passed wind very loudly – then laughed out loud and walked away.’
Mr Ford then referred to an occasion in mid-December 2021 when the female officer described assisting on a call-out involving ‘people who did not speak English’ with PC Sansom.
He was also accused of asking the female officer ‘questions about her sexuality’ and ‘calling her a lesbian’.
PC Sansom claimed that he only asked the officer ‘once’ about her sexuality after ‘hearing rumours circulate about his colleagues’ personal life.
Russell Ford, representing the Met Police at the hearing, revealed how PC Sansom invited the female officer, known as PC B, to ‘pull his finger’ at Wembley station.
‘He was concerned that this could lead to her being unfairly treated or talked about.’
PC Jeffries was said to have made ‘discourteous remarks’ to the same female officer about her sexuality.
‘This included asking her personal questions of a sexual nature, asking about rimming and asking if she had gone down on someone and asking if someone had gone down on her,’ said Mr Ford.
PC Jeffries took a picture of his testicles using the female officer’s mobile phone at an Extinction Rebellion protest on August 25 2021, the panel heard.
She had asked PC Jeffries and a colleague if they could get her some water from a nearby shop, and handed over her mobile telephone so they could use her Apple Pay.
‘When they returned, they were laughing as they approached, and she assumed they had done something to her phone.
‘When PC Jeffries handed her back her phone, she opened it and noticed that the last application used was the camera.
‘She looked at the last photographs taken and saw what she believed to be a testicle.
‘She said: “That’s disgusting”, and he (Jeffries) replied: “Why are you getting offended? It’s just a picture of my balls.”
PC Jeffries also made ‘discourteous remarks motived by race’ about a different female colleague at Wembley Police Station.
The two were swiftly taken off the force by the Metropolitan Police misconduct panel in central London. Pictured: Stock image
‘She says that PC Fitzpatrick invited her to take a seat, whereupon PC Jeffries said to her “no, take a knee”.
That remark, the authorities say, was no doubt a reference to a gesture used by the Black Lives Matter movement.
Mr Ford told the hearing of a second incident in which the female officer went to open a door at the police station to find PC Jeffries holding it shut as a joke.
‘When he released the door, he laughed and said to her words along the lines of: ‘I thought you were going to start screaming Black Lives Matter’.
The officer was ‘annoyed and upset about this remark’ and recalled another occasion when PC Jeffries pretending to light-heartedly punch her and then said: ‘Oh, Black Lives Matter! Black Lives Matter!’.
Panel chair Alison Baller (corr) said Sansom and Jeffries were ‘disrespectful and discourteous’ towards colleagues.
They also ‘discriminated against them unlawfully by making sexist, homophobic and unlawful comments’.
‘The panel had found that PC B made it known to PC Jeffries that she did not appreciate his remarks.
‘PC B said that for months she was trying to figure out what she had done to PC Sansom and PC Jeffries for them to behave in the way they did.
The officers will now both be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. Pictured: Stock image
‘Without realising, it began affecting her personal life and her mental health, to the point she had to contact a therapist.’
Ms Baller referred to ‘increasing societal concerns’ regarding this type of behaviour and said their conduct had amounted to ‘regular, sustained behaviour over a period of time.’
Speaking of PC Jeffries she said: ‘There were multiple proven allegations and breaches of professional behaviour.’
Regarding PC Sansom she said: ‘As an experienced police officer with over 20 years’ service, there was an expectation for PC Sansom to act as a role model.
‘It is imperative policing makes it clear this is wholly unacceptable.
Ms Baller added: ‘The panel considered whether a final written warning would be sufficient in this case.
‘The panel considered whether it would be appropriate, but did not find any circumstances that would be appropriate in this case.
‘The panel came to the view that the only result could be immediate dismissal from the force.
‘The panel considered the local community would be concerned that an officer who behaved so badly towards colleagues was still serving as a Met police officer.’
Both officers were immediately dismissed from the force and were informed of their respective rights to appeal.
Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, who leads policing for the North West Command, said: ‘The actions and comments made by both PC Jeffries and PC Samson were disgusting, wholly inappropriate and fell far below the standards expected of Met police officers. It is right they have been dismissed.
‘I would encourage our staff to continue to report any wrongdoing so that we can take action.’
The officers will now both be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies, the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.
