12-08-2025
Off-duty Met Police officer jailed for beating up two taxi drivers and trying to arrest them in row over fare
A Metropolitan Police officer has been jailed after assaulting two taxi drivers in a row over a fare before threatening to arrest them.
Drunk PC Lee Tilson was off-duty when he punched the first man in the chest multiple times.
He attempted to grab the second driver through the window of his vehicle on Springfield Road, Chelmsford.
Tilson pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and was sentenced to 18 weeks imprisonment at the city's magistrates' court on July 4.
Commander Katie Lilburn, who chaired an accelerated gross misconduct panel, said the constable undermined public trust and confidence in the Met.
She said: 'PC Tilson was responsible for his own actions. He was drunk. Self-induced intoxication is no excuse.
'It is unacceptable for police officers who are responsible for enforcing the law to break the law in this way, as was observed by one of the taxi drivers at the time of the assaults.
'Furthermore, PC Tilson made his victims aware that he was a police officer and threatened to arrest them.'
Tilson was granted early release from HMP Rochester but did not attend the hearing on Friday which found he had breached standards of professional behaviour relating to discreditable conduct.
He has been dismissal without notice and placed on the College of Policing's barred list.
Essex Police declined to comment.
Separately, on August 8 Cmdr Lilburn sacked PC Danny Appleyard who pleaded guilty to drink driving at Luton Magistrates' Court.
He was disqualified from driving for 22 months and fined £645. Appleyard says he is appealing his conviction.
