Two officers from the Metropolitan Police have been terminated for serious misconduct following their involvement in an undercover BBC Panorama report.
PC Philip Neilson faced three upheld allegations, including making “profoundly racist and discriminatory statements” about various ethnic communities. His termination was immediate.
Similarly, five allegations were substantiated against PC Martin Borg, who was also dismissed without delay.
These two officers are the first among ten current or former officers undergoing hearings as part of the Met’s fast-tracked misconduct processes related to footage captured during the Panorama inquiry.
Neilson was recorded by the BBC making statements about an “invasion” of “scum” from the Middle East and disparaging comments regarding individuals from Algeria and Somalia.
Moreover, he was overheard suggesting that a detainee who had overstayed his visa should receive a “bullet through his head.”
Other accusations against Neilson included “glorifying what he termed as excessive force against a restrained detainee” and proposing unlawful violence towards migrants who violated the law. The panel, chaired by Commander Jason Prins, found all allegations to be substantiated.
During the hearing in south-west London on Thursday, he did not contest the statements he made but maintained that they only constituted minor misconduct.
In his testimony, Neilson stated he had been an officer for four years and denied being a racist. He claimed that the undercover reporter “violated his human rights,” asserting that the reporter was the one who “kept steering the discussions” and “provoked me.”
He mentioned having consumed eight to nine pints of Guinness at the pub when he made some of the statements, insisting he was not a “heavy drinker.”
Neilson contended that he did not show discrimination and suggested that footage from his body-worn camera would demonstrate that he treated all individuals with the utmost respect, regardless of their ethnicity.
Commander Prins determined that Neilson’s remarks inflicted “significant damage” to the Metropolitan Police’s reputation and public trust, categorizing his behavior as gross misconduct and labeling it an “absolute disgrace.”
“He alone was accountable for these statements, and it should have been evidently clear to him that his comments were unacceptable,” Cdr Prins remarked.
The Met previously indicated that Neilson had expressed “extreme racial, violent, and discriminatory opinions” while demonstrating a lack of “respect, courtesy, and professionalism.”
