Met Police dismisses 13th officer over misconduct linked to Charing Cross BBC investigation

Unbiased summary

A Metropolitan Police officer, PC Mason O'Connor, has been dismissed after a disciplinary panel found he breached professional behaviour standards. The breach related to a comment he made to a female colleague in October 2024, reportedly telling her he hoped she would be raped on her way to Waterloo. The incident was reported after a BBC Panorama investigation aired in October 2025, which showed officers at Charing Cross police station making racist and misogynistic remarks. O'Connor is the 13th serving officer to be sacked in connection with the investigation. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed it is still investigating 15 other officers or police staff, and that additional misconduct was identified from unaired footage provided by the BBC. The Met Commissioner described the original footage as 'vile' and 'incontrovertible evidence'.

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Coverage by outlet

The Guardian left

Angle Emphasizes systemic cultural problems within the Metropolitan Police and the need for institutional reform.

Bias The Guardian frames the sacking as part of a broader pattern of misogyny and racism, highlighting the commissioner's 'vile to watch' comment and the need to 'improve our culture'. It includes context about the Panorama footage and other dismissed officers, stressing the scale of the problem. It omits any discussion of due process or potential overreach, instead focusing on the Met's determination to change. Slight emphasis on the 'thirteenth' officer to underscore persistence of the issue.

Thirteenth Met police officer sacked after undercover BBC investigation

BBC News centre-left

Angle Presents a straightforward factual report with institutional perspective, balancing criticism and procedural response.

Bias BBC News sticks closely to official statements from the Met and IOPC, including quotes from Commander Messinger and Amanda Rowe. It notes the 'fast-tracked disciplinary proceedings' and the size of the investigation. It does not include any critical commentary about the Met's culture, but also doesn't downplay the severity of the comments. The tone is neutral, though it relies heavily on institutional sources, potentially giving an official perspective more weight. It omits the exact wording of O'Connor's comment in the summary but includes it in the body.

Thirteenth Met Police officer sacked after Charing Cross Panorama film

The Independent centre-left

Angle Frames the story as a continuing 'scandal' with a focus on accountability and the broader investigation.

Bias The Independent uses the term 'scandal' in the headline and emphasizes the 'almost a year' timeline and ongoing investigations. It provides detailed context about the Panorama findings and includes the exact rape comment. It also mentions the earlier dismissal of PC Lloyd Hunter, highlighting the nature of the misconduct. It does not include any defensive comments from police unions or question the process. The tone is serious but slightly more critical of the police than BBC, framing it as a systemic issue.

Another Met officer dismissed after BBC Panorama investigation into Charing Cross scandal

GB News right

Angle Focuses on the individual officer's action and the disciplinary outcome, with a sensational headline emphasizing the rape comment.

Bias GB News leads with the explicit rape threat, using it to grab attention. It describes the officer as being 'sacked' and 'barred from working in policing', downplaying any systemic flaws by focusing on one individual. It also notes the 'fast-track' process and the IOPC investigation size, but does not include any broader cultural critique. The angle is more about the offender and the punishment rather than institutional failure. It omits the context of the Panorama footage showing other officers' racist and misogynistic comments, unless mentioned briefly later. The framing suggests individual bad apples rather than systemic issues.

Met Police officer sacked after telling female colleague he hoped she'd 'get raped' on way home from night out