Cop who called Des O'Connor's daughter ‘amazingly hot' while investigating mugging should've been sacked, panel rules
Kristina O'Connor was sent a string of messages by James Mason after he responded to the attempted robbery.
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The detective branded her "amazingly hot" and asked her out to dinner while taking her statement.
A misconduct panel found Mason "deliberately and repeatedly abused his position for a sexual purpose" and that his actions amounted to gross misconduct.
He was handed a final written warning but later returned to work alongside former Met commissioner Dame Cressida Dick after the panel found sacking him would be "disproportionately harsh".
Mason later resigned from the force in November 2022 but a fresh tribunal today found he should have been sacked.
Delivering the panel's findings, Christopher McKay said: "In the panel's judgment, the most significant actual and potential harm was to the reputation of the Metropolitan Police Service.
"Women and girls should feel confident that they are treated with courtesy and understanding if they attend a police station to make a complaint."
Kristina, 37, cried as the decision was handed down today.
She later said in a statement: "My experience has taught me that the police cannot be trusted with women's safety.
"I was abused by a police officer who should have been helping me.
"Since reporting his behaviour I have seen first-hand how the police were more interested in protecting themselves than helping me find justice, or protecting other women.
"I have spent many years questioning whether the policing system can be fixed, and have come to the conclusion that if we are serious about women's safety, it needs replacing entirely.
"I believe we need to abolish the police and establish an entirely new public service that actually protects and cares for women and communities."
Kristina took the force to the High Court in 2023 where her lawyer argued they "failed to properly investigate" the complaint.
But she was delivered a blow when a top judge rejected her appeal against the police and misconduct panel decisions.
Kristina, whose comic dad Des passed away in 2020, had called police when she was attacked by a gang who attempted to steal her phone in London back in 2011.
She was interviewed by Mason, and says he asked "invasive" questions with "sexual overtones".
In one message, he said: "If you ever fancy having a drink with a very discreet police officer, just let me know, it would be my pleasure.
"If you have any visible injuries that you would like me to record then I am happy to take a picture for you and save it in case we manage to get any further in the investigation.
"I hope it doesn't hurt too much and I am sure you still look amazingly hot.'
In a Met misconduct hearing in 2021, Mason was found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour on eight counts.
Despite this, he was issued with only a final written warning and was allowed to keep his rank.
Detective Superintendent Neil Smithson, Professional Standards, said: 'The Met took the allegations against DCI James Mason seriously and conducted an investigation that led to a misconduct hearing.
"The hearing panel, led by an independent legally qualified chair, made the decision not to dismiss him and the Met Police has in no way sought to justify that decision.
'Former DCI Mason's behaviour was wholly unacceptable. A victim of crime is already likely to feel vulnerable, they should never be made to feel worse by the actions of a police officer. I hope the victim in this case takes some comfort from the outcome of the fresh hearing.
'The Commissioner has made it very clear that officers who abuse their position of trust and authority have no place in the Met. We continue our ongoing drive to improve our standards and culture.'
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