Senior Met officer Julian Bennett sacked for refusing drug test

Cdr Julian Bennett has been suspended on full pay since July 2020

A senior Met Police officer who drew up the force's anti-drugs strategy has been sacked for refusing to provide a urine sample for cannabis testing.

The actions of Cdr Julian Bennett, who joined the Met in 1976, were found to have amounted to gross misconduct.

He was cleared by a three-person disciplinary panel of smoking the illicit substance.

His former flatmate Sheila Gomes accused him of using it daily before heading to work at New Scotland Yard.

She reported Mr Bennett in July 2020 and, in the presence of an assistant commissioner, he was asked to provide a sample.

He offered to resign on the spot instead, and asked for a meeting with then-commissioner Dame Cressida Dick.

'Special treatment'

Mark Ley-Morgan KC, representing the Metropolitan Police, said it would have smacked of "organised corruption at the highest level" if he had been allowed to resign on the spot.

Mr Bennett, who wrote the force's drugs strategy for 2017-21, said he had been taking CBD (cannabidiol) to treat facial palsy and was worried the sample would come up positive for an innocent reason.

During the tribunal in Southwark, south London, his lawyer John Beggs KC branded Ms Gomes a "liar" and a "fantasist" who he said wanted to write a book about the claims and make money.

By failing to provide the sample, Mr Bennett, who has been suspended on full pay since July 2020, was found to have breached force standards for honesty and integrity, orders and instructions and discreditable conduct.

Panel chairman Akbar Khan said: "It is highly improbable the officer believed he had a good reason for failing to comply with a lawful order.

"Harm has undoubtedly been caused to the reputation of the Metropolitan Police Service."

He said Mr Bennett's behaviour was "deliberate and intentional, seeking a personal advantage or special treatment from the commissioner" and that he would have had a "unique insight" into what would have been a good reason.

'Justifiably outraged'

Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray said: "Julian Bennett's actions were deplorable. He was a senior officer and showed complete disregard and disrespect for the standards we must all uphold.

"The public will justifiably be outraged that any police officer, but particularly one of such a senior rank, refused a lawful order to take a drugs test.

"Cdr Bennett was highly experienced and knew full well what was required of him, yet he made a choice not to cooperate.

"He could have been in no doubt of the professional standards required as he was responsible for chairing the misconduct hearings of numerous officers between 2010 and 2016."

Freedom of information requests showed Mr Bennett presided over 74 police misconduct hearings involving 90 officers between June 2010 and February 2012.

Of the hearings involving Mr Bennett, more than three-quarters of officers were dismissed.

Mr Beggs KC has indicated that the gross misconduct finding would be appealed.