The Metropolitan Police has once again found itself under intense scrutiny as Sergeant Lawrence Hume, a detention sergeant at Charing Cross police station, was dismissed without notice on November 7, 2025, following an accelerated misconduct hearing. The hearing found Sgt Hume guilty of a serious breach of professional standards after he was secretly filmed making shocking comments about a detainee. The footage, which aired during a BBC Panorama documentary on October 1, 2025, captured Hume saying a detainee "deserves to be beaten up" and using a derogatory term to describe him.
The broadcast, which sent ripples through the UK policing community and the wider public, did not just spotlight Hume’s behavior. It exposed a deeper, troubling culture within the Charing Cross station, showing officers calling for immigrants to be shot, boasting about the use of force, and dismissing rape claims. According to BBC, the documentary played a pivotal role in triggering a series of disciplinary actions within the Metropolitan Police, with Hume becoming the sixth officer dismissed as a direct result of the revelations.
During the misconduct hearing held in south London, a six-minute clip of Hume’s remarks was played multiple times for the panel. In the footage, Hume is heard saying, “Charge him, send him to prison, throw away the key,” and, “Don’t care, deserves to be beaten up don’t he.” Panel chairman Commander Jason Prins found that Hume made these comments on two separate occasions, unprompted, and while occupying a leadership position responsible for the welfare of detainees. Prins noted, “He was unable to provide a satisfying answer as to why he had said a detainee deserved to be beaten up.”
Hume’s defense argued that his remarks stemmed from frustration after dealing with a non-compliant detainee who had tried to spit at a colleague. Hume told the panel, “I was just, I think, frustrated from the non-compliant detainee we just dealt with who tried to spit at one of my colleagues. I would never say that if the public could see that at all. He’s just tried to assault one of my colleagues. I would no way endorse a detainee to be beaten up.” Despite this, the panel concluded that his words were not only unprofessional but also capable of damaging public confidence in the police force, regardless of whether they were broadcast.
Commander Simon Messenger, representing the Professionalism division of the Metropolitan Police, condemned Hume’s actions, emphasizing the importance of leadership standards. He stated, “As an officer in a leadership role Sgt Hume should have been setting an example to more junior colleagues. Instead he demonstrated a blatant disregard for the protection of the public and the professional standards expected of a serving police officer. It is right he has been dismissed as we work tirelessly to raise standards and improve the culture across our organisation.”
Hume’s dismissal was not limited to the remarks about the detainee. The hearing also examined whether Hume supported or echoed comments made by already-dismissed Sergeant Joe McIlvenny about hiding discussions of force from custody suite cameras and whether he failed to challenge or report those remarks. On these points, Hume was cleared, with the panel finding the allegations unproven. The same was true for allegations that Hume intended to minimize or not record levels of force used in custody.
The BBC Panorama investigation has led to a wave of disciplinary actions at Charing Cross police station. Prior to Hume’s dismissal, five other officers had been sacked for gross misconduct. These included Sergeant Clayton Robinson, dismissed after trivializing and mocking a rape victim’s allegation, and PC Jason Sinclair-Birt, who was filmed boasting about and reveling in the use of force. Sergeant Joe McIlvenny, PC Philip Neilson, and PC Martin Borg were also dismissed after being found guilty of gross misconduct. According to BBC, McIlvenny was filmed making misogynistic comments and being dismissive about a pregnant woman’s allegations of rape and domestic violence, while Neilson made offensive statements about immigrants from the Middle East, Algeria, and Somalia, referring to an “invasion” of “scum.”
The disciplinary process is far from over. Accelerated misconduct hearings for PC Sean Park and former PC Brian Sharkey are scheduled for later this month, while a hearing for Sergeant Steve Stamp has yet to be confirmed. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is conducting an ongoing investigation into all allegations arising from the Charing Cross revelations. Amanda Rowe, director at the IOPC, weighed in on the latest developments, stating, “PS Hume’s comments were unacceptable and completely unprofessional. A panel has found that the officer breached the police standards of professional behaviour relating to authority, respect and courtesy, and discreditable conduct, and it’s right that he has been dismissed from the force.”
The fallout from the Panorama investigation has not only resulted in a series of high-profile dismissals but also forced a broader reckoning with the culture and standards within the Metropolitan Police. Critics argue that the problems exposed at Charing Cross are symptomatic of deeper, systemic issues—ones that cannot be addressed solely through individual sackings. The Met, for its part, insists it is “working tirelessly to raise standards and improve the culture across our organisation,” as Commander Messenger put it. Yet, for many, the question remains whether these efforts will be enough to restore public trust and confidence in Britain’s largest police force.
For now, the addition of Sgt Hume to the College of Policing’s Barred List ensures he cannot return to policing or work in related fields. The ongoing misconduct hearings and IOPC investigation will likely reveal whether further disciplinary actions are forthcoming—and whether the Met can truly turn the page on this troubling chapter.
As Londoners and observers across the UK await the next steps, the Metropolitan Police faces a daunting challenge: demonstrating that it can hold its own to account and rebuild a culture where public service, respect, and professionalism are not just expected, but lived values.
