Officer has gross misconduct proven in his absence

A police constable, who has since resigned from the Met, has been found proven of gross misconduct in his absence.

PC Kenville Wright who formally left on Thursday, 18 January and who was attached to Central North Command Unit was the subject of a special case hearing held on Monday, 12 February.

PC Wright was facing allegations that, prior to his departure, he had breached the Met’s standards of professional behaviour in respect of ‘discreditable conduct’.

This followed his guilty plea at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 17 November 2017, to drink driving.

On Tuesday, 31 October 2017, PC Wright drove a vehicle along Coldharbour Lane, SW9 after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in his breath, namely 94 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeded the prescribed limit.

He was sentenced on 21 November and disqualified from driving for 24 months and given a 160-hour community order. He was also ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge.

In December 2017 an amendment was made to Police Regulations which allowed police officers to resign or retire even if they are subject to misconduct proceedings. PC Wright therefore resigned prior to the hearing taking place.

After hearing all the evidence put before them the Chair found the allegations as proven. If the officer had still been serving, he would have been dismissed without notice.

PC Wright’s name will still be submitted to be placed on the ‘Police Barred List’ preventing future employment elsewhere in policing.