Met officer dismissed for texting escorts and sex workers on police phone

A Metropolitan Police officer has been dismissed after he texted escorts and sex workers on his work phone.

Pc Shabul Miah sent messages to “a large number” of different phone numbers linked to escort workers and sex worker websites between April 5 and October 12 last year, a misconduct panel was told.

Some of the messages were sent on the Met-issued device while he was on duty.

Although there is no specific evidence that he (Miah) actually procured the services ... I do believe it was his intention to do so

His actions amounted to gross misconduct and breached the force’s standards of professional behaviour, through discreditable conduct and failure to follow orders and instructions, the panel found.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, chair of the panel, said: “Although there is no specific evidence that he (Miah) actually procured the services … I do believe it was his intention to do so.”

Mr Taylor said Pc Miah’s behaviour could have led to him “exploiting a vulnerable individual or funding organised crime” and left him at risk of being blackmailed.

In a statement on January 20, Pc Miah admitted that he sent the messages but said he did not meet or ever have the intention to meet any of the workers, and that he only chatted to them to distract himself from suicidal thoughts, the panel was told.

No medical evidence was provided by the officer to support his claims.

Pc Miah was dismissed without notice at an accelerated misconduct hearing in central London on Friday.

The officer, who did not attend the hearing, was also placed on the College of Policing barred list.