The Metropolitan Police has dismissed a seventh officer from Charing Cross police station after a damning BBC Panorama investigation exposed shocking misconduct, including discriminatory remarks and an apparent willingness to ignore excessive force by colleagues. PC Sean Park, a member of the Central West Command Unit, was sacked following a misconduct panel’s findings, which were made public on November 27, 2025, just weeks after the explosive Panorama broadcast aired on October 1.
The BBC’s undercover footage, which sent shockwaves through the force and the wider public, showed PC Park expressing deeply disrespectful and discriminatory views about Muslims. Even more troubling, Park was caught on camera boasting about pretending not to see a fellow officer allegedly stomping on a detainee’s ankle. According to the Metropolitan Police and BBC reports, Park admitted he did nothing to challenge either the brutality or the racist attitudes of PC Martin Borg—another officer previously dismissed for misconduct.
This latest dismissal brings the total number of officers sacked in the wake of the Charing Cross scandal to seven, a tally that has drawn national scrutiny to the culture within the Metropolitan Police. The October Panorama programme had already revealed a toxic environment, with officers calling for immigrants to be shot, revelling in the use of force, and dismissing rape claims. The scale and severity of the misconduct have left many Londoners (and indeed, much of the UK) questioning the standards and oversight within one of the country’s most prominent police forces.
Commander Simon Messinger, who leads the Met’s Professionalism directorate, did not mince words in his condemnation of Park’s behavior. “PC Park’s conduct fell very far below the high standard we expect of our officers,” Messinger said, as quoted by BBC and other outlets. “His comments were appalling, and condoning the use of force against a detainee is completely unacceptable. He rightly lost his job.” Messinger emphasized that the Met would not tolerate such conduct, stating that it was “entirely right he has now lost his job.”
The misconduct panel found Park guilty of breaching professional conduct rules on several counts: authority, respect, courtesy, discreditable conduct, failure to challenge improper behaviour, and equality. As a result, Park will be added to the College of Policing’s Barred List, effectively banning him from ever working in policing or related fields again. This measure, according to Scotland Yard and corroborated by the BBC, is designed to prevent dismissed officers from simply moving to another force or similar organization—a practice that has drawn criticism in the past.
Park was not alone in his failings. The BBC Panorama investigation, which has now prompted seven dismissals, also led to the sacking of officers for a range of disturbing behaviors. For instance, Sgt Lawrence Hume was dismissed after being recorded saying a detainee “deserves to be beaten up.” Sgt Clayton Robinson lost his job for trivializing a woman’s rape allegation and mocking the victim by singing a song with another officer. PC Jason Sinclair-Birt was caught boasting about and revelling in the use of force on a detainee. Meanwhile, Sgt Joe McIlvenny, PC Philip Neilson, and PC Martin Borg were all dismissed after gross misconduct allegations were upheld—McIlvenny for dismissing a pregnant woman’s rape and domestic violence allegations and making misogynistic comments, Neilson for referring to an “invasion” of “scum” from the Middle East and making offensive remarks about people from Algeria and Somalia, and Borg for racist comments and improper conduct.
The fallout from the Panorama exposé continues to ripple through the Met. PC Brian Sharkey, another officer implicated in the investigation, was due to face a misconduct hearing on November 26, 2025. However, the hearing was abruptly adjourned when the BBC handed over additional unaired footage to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) at extremely short notice—a move that has frustrated some in the force but was defended by the BBC as necessary for a thorough investigation. Sharkey’s hearing is now expected to take place in February 2026.
Commander Messinger addressed the disruption, stating, “It is frustrating to have to adjourn proceedings but it is right we examine this footage to ensure all the available evidence is presented to the hearing in relation to this former officer. A new hearing will take place as soon as possible.” The IOPC’s probe into the Charing Cross scandal remains ongoing, with further hearings and possible disciplinary actions anticipated in the coming months.
The BBC, for its part, responded to Scotland Yard’s rebuke over the late disclosure by emphasizing the importance of their journalism. “We are glad to see the Met’s recognition of the value of Panorama’s journalism, and we are actively engaged with assisting the IOPC. So far there have been seven dismissals from the Met Police because of the evidence found in the Panorama investigation and provided by the BBC,” a spokesperson said, according to the Evening Standard.
The revelations have reignited debate over police culture, accountability, and the effectiveness of internal disciplinary mechanisms. Critics argue that the Charing Cross scandal exposes deep-seated issues that go beyond a few “bad apples,” pointing to systemic problems in how misconduct is reported, challenged, and punished. Others, including some within law enforcement, maintain that the swift dismissals and ongoing investigation demonstrate the Met’s commitment to rooting out unacceptable behavior and rebuilding public trust.
For many Londoners, the events at Charing Cross are a sobering reminder of the power and responsibility entrusted to police officers—and the dire consequences when that trust is abused. The addition of Park and the other dismissed officers to the Barred List is seen as a necessary step, but one that must be accompanied by broader reforms if the force is to restore its reputation.
As the IOPC continues its investigation and further hearings loom, the Metropolitan Police faces a critical test: will it seize this moment to enact meaningful change, or will these dismissals be remembered as little more than a reaction to public outrage? Only time—and continued scrutiny—will tell.
