Des O'Connor: Carol Vorderman remembers late performer
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Kristina, the 33-year-old daughter of the late entertainer Des O’Connor, took offence to a senior Metropolitan Police officer telling her she was “amazingly hot” after she called in distress to report a mugging. The events happened over a decade ago, but she is now pursuing the matter further after he not only kept his job but was promoted as one of Dame Cressida Dick’s top aides.
You’re presuming that I’m unaffected enough by the crime to come on to me? Isn’t there some kind of code of practice that you are breaking right now?
Kristina O’Connor
The news comes at a time when awareness is already being raised about a spate of alleged misogynistic behaviour in the Police Force at large.
It also comes after a report revealed that the worst-performing force in the country, Wiltshire Police, were said to have solved, on average, just one out of every 140 rape cases.
Kristina is reportedly launching a Judicial Review against the Met for “enabling and normalising misogyny” after she felt her complaints had not been taken seriously enough.
She contacted police in desperation after a group of men were said to have targeted her in an attack, attempting to snatch her mobile phone as she walked home from a groceries store.
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However her response from the police officer assigned to her case was far from what she was expecting – and she made a complaint about his “invasive” questions with “inappropriate sexual overtones”.
In emails exchanged between herself and 43-year-old Detective Chief Inspector James Mason, he invited her out for a drink, making it clear that her “amazingly hot” looks had motivated his interest.
“Please look after yourself while you’re out in Camden,” the officer, who had also offered to take her out for dinner when he saw her in person after the mugging, wrote.
“Hopefully you will not be a victim of crime again but if you ever fancy having a drink with a very discreet police officer just let me know, it would be my pleasure.
“If you have any visible injuries that you would like me to record then I am happy to take a picture for you and save it in case we manage to get any further in the investigation. I hope it doesn’t hurt too much and I am sure you still look amazingly hot.”
Kristina called out his “blasé” attitude, asking: “You’re presuming that I’m unaffected enough by the crime to come on to me? Isn’t there some kind of code of practice that you are breaking right now?”
He jokingly responded: “Kristina, have faith in my detective ability and experience. Actually, coming on to victims is positively encouraged, it’s all part of the friendly and accessible face of the Met Police. It’s the rejection that’s frowned upon.”
She replied: “You have no shame! You could get fired for this!”
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The DS audaciously responded: “You are probably right on both counts. I can assure that I am as determined in my pursuit of criminals as I am of beautiful women if that helps. You know where I am if you ever change your mind or need a friendly police officer.”
In October 2021, the officer was found guilty of misconduct and had a written warning placed on his record for three years – but Kristina remained unhappy.
She took offence to his claims that his chat-up lines and comments about her looks were “all part of the friendly and accessible face of the Met Police” and hoped to incite action.
“By speaking out now I want to encourage more women to come forward about their negative experiences with the police,” she said on the Today Show, after branding the police conduct panel “woefully inadequate”.
“It’s difficult and takes courage, I know, but if enough women speak out, the Met won’t be able to dismiss them as ‘one-offs’.
“The first step would be the Met acknowledging there’s a culture of misogyny. Even in the tiny minority of cases like mine, where the perpetrator is brought before a panel, charged and finally convicted of misconduct, my experience tells me that they are still protected, their jobs considered more important than my safety and my faith in the police.”
She also claimed that she had subsequently failed to report an abusive partner to the police out of fear that she would be targeted for chat-up lines again, and sank into “deep depression”.
A spokesperson for the Met Police said: “We recognise there is a need for real change [and] we are committed to creating an environment that is intolerant to those who do not uphold the high values and standards expected of us.”
Saying that work had been ongoing for several months, he added: “The review will ask difficult questions of us to ensure there are lasting improvements to the service we provide for all Londoners.”
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