Police Federation under fire for backing 'unsackable' rogue cops

Met chief enraged as staff association fights efforts to kick out officers accused of serious sexual assaults

- John Simpson Home Affairs Editor

Police officers accused of offences including rape, domestic abuse and arranging to meet an underage schoolgirl, could cost the Metropolitan Police more than £7 million.

The Met is unable to sack 29 officers who are at home on full pay after a vetting review uncovered allegations of serious offences, while about 80 more could be eligible for back pay.

The force lost a legal battle with its staff association, the Metropolitan Police Federation, over efforts to remove the officers a battle the federation now intends to take to the government over changes to the law intended to resolve the situation.

One officer was arrested in the US for travelling to meet a 13-year-old girl after talking to her online; another was accused of rape and sexual assault by multiple women; and another of multiple incidents of domestic abuse, including the rape of an ex-partner as well as sexually harassing colleagues.

Among those forced out was Sergeant Lino Di Maria, who was repeatedly accused of rape, including by a colleague on the force, but never charged, convicted or taken to a misconduct hearing.

In February, Di Maria won a high court battle against the Met for wrongly dismissing him, and the case became a stumbling block for planned reforms. The force suddenly had scores of officers eligible to seek back pay and potentially compensation - 107 had already been removed, had left or been put on "vetting special leave", meaning at home on full pay. A further 100 are still being assessed under the vetting process.