Senior police officer who wrote Met’s anti-drugs strategy loses bid to get case against him thrown out as he faces sack over claims he took cannabis, LSD and magic mushrooms
- Top cop Commander Julian Bennett, 63, was suspended on full pay in July 2020
- He faces the sack over allegations he used cannabis, LSD and magic mushrooms
- A tribunal in Earl’s Court, West London, heard he tried to get the case dismissed
- While suspended he has received full pay and is expected to keep his pension
A senior Met Police officer who drew up the force’s anti-drugs policy is facing the sack following allegations that he used cannabis, LSD and magic mushrooms.
Commander Julian Bennett, 63, has been suspended on full pay since July 2020 after he refused to take a drugs test out of fear it would ’embarrass’ his force if he failed it.
At a tribunal hearing today the commander tried to get the case against him dismissed but his plea was refused.
The allegations claim that Commander Bennett had used drugs while off duty between February 2019 and July 21 2020 – when asked to take a drugs test, he refused.
The Commander, who joined the Met in 19767, was known among colleagues as ‘The Sacker’ for his tough approach when he was in charge of disciplinary hearings.
Commander Julian Bennett, 63, (pictured) was suspended in June 2020 following allegations that he had used cannabis, LSD and magic mushrooms
Now, following the allegations of gross misconduct, he could be kicked out of the force.
At a tribunal hearing today in Earl’s Court, west London, he tried to get the case dismissed, claiming that a series of delays meant he was no longer able to receive a fair hearing.
He had been due to appear at the tribunal in February this year but in an eleventh-hour decision, it was postponed until the summer at the request of his lawyers.
During his appeal to have the case dropped, Commander Bennett claimed that delays from the disclosure of Whatsapp messages during 2020 from a key witness, Sheila Gomes, as well as her refusal to attend the tribunal to give evidence in August, caused unnecessary delay.
He also argued that the Met Police tried to influence the selection of the chair of the panel after the previous one resigned earlier this year.
However, the current chair, Akbar Khan, rejected his claims, saying that Ms Gomes had valid medical reasons for not attending in August and she is now willing and able to attend the tribunal, give evidence and face cross-examination.
He added that the comments from the Met Police relating to the selection of the chair were more concerned with when the selection would be made rather than who would be chosen.
Commander Julian Bennet (pictured) at a vigil in Trafalgar Square in March 2017 following the Westminster Bridge terror attack
Concluding, Mr Khan said: ‘The panel has carefully considered the defence application for a stay of proceedings against the officer, namely, that it would be impossible to give a fair hearing.
‘The burden of proof would be on the officer or defence. They have failed to show on the balance of probabilities that the officer could not receive a fair hearing or that it would be unfair to proceed.
‘A stay order is an exception, and it would be very rare for it to be granted. Ms Gomes is also willing and able to attend a future hearing to give evidence and the officer would be able to test her evidence through cross-examination.’
The full hearing is now scheduled to begin on January 30 next year and is expected to last four or five days.
He added: ‘The officer is facing serious allegations and there is a strong public interest in those allegations being heard.
‘This matter should progress to a full hearing as soon as possible. The defence application for a stay in proceedings should be refused in its entirety.’
In June, the Daily Mail revealed that even if the veteran commander is found guilty of gross misconduct and is sacked, he will not lose any of his pension.
This is because of his age – he is in his 60s – and his 45 years of service. Legal sources said his pension was ‘bomb proof’.
He is thought to earn more than £128,000 a year and could be entitled to a pension payout of around £400,000 when he leaves the Met, in addition to an index-linked pension income of half his leaving salary.
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