West End ex-Met Police officer jailed for taking bribes

Frank Partridge formed an "unprofessional and inappropriately close" relationship with people, a court heard

An ex-Metropolitan Police officer has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years after taking bribes while policing London's West End bars and clubs.

Former Sgt Frank Partridge, 50, was convicted by jurors of four counts of bribery last week.

Jurors found he accepted a £7,000 luxury family holiday to Morocco, house renovations and tickets to exclusive events between 2013 and 2015.

Commander James Harman said the force now runs licensing units differently.

Partridge was cleared of a further count of bribery and admitted three others at an earlier stage in the case.

Sentencing Partridge at Southwark Crown Court, Judge Christopher Hehir told him: "The story behind these verdicts is a troubling, disappointing and also in parts a sleazy one.

"While there is some evidence of you performing your duties efficiently and effectively, that sadly pales into insignificance when set against the other evidence in the trial, which revealed a rapid descent into wholesale corruption, dishonesty and complete disregard of your obligations as a police officer."

• West End ex-Met officer guilty of taking bribes

Partridge was working with Westminster's licensing unit at the time of the offences and was responsible for consulting on applications for licensed premises ensuring venues were complying with conditions.

Jurors heard Partridge, who left the Met in 2016, formed an "unprofessional and inappropriately close" relationship with people linked to West End nightclubs and security firms.

Prosecutor Philip Evans KC told jurors at the start of the trial: "Those relationships directly benefited Frank Partridge financially and the individuals because they had someone with Frank Partridge's powers in their pocket."

Partridge "developed and he nurtured" relationships with those he was charged with policing "for his own benefit and, in turn, for their benefit", and there was "no sensible" explanation for what was happening, Mr Evans KC said.

In his defence, the former officer told jurors he believed his work was "always impartial".

Four other people were also found guilty of bribery and are set to be sentenced on 21 September.

Two other people were cleared of all wrongdoing.

Following the verdict, Commander Harman, of the Met's anti-corruption and abuse command, said it had been "the case of an officer abusing his position of trust and responsibility for personal gain".

He added: "Once we identified Partridge's activities, we acted quickly to introduce measures to ensure no one officer can abuse their position of power in the way he did."

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