A Metropolitan Police officer has been given a second chance in the force after she was found to have committed misconduct by not disclosing the full details of her relationship and communications with a convicted criminal who she dated. Police Constable Cleo Brooks-Ashitey joined the force in 2011.
Six years later, in October 2017 she met a man with a number of criminal convictions – known only as ‘AB’ – while partying in a nightclub. They began a relationship which became more intimate the following year. A hearing heard that AB was aware that PC Brooks-Ashitey was a police officer for some time before he told her about crimes that he had committed in the past.
In July 2018, PC Brooks-Ashitey notified a superior officer, PS Atkins, after a colleague suggested she do so. She said in evidence that she was well aware she had to disclose the relationship to her superiors given the circumstances. The risk to the police force and to PC Brooks-Ashitey was originally deemed to be medium, but by November 2018, the risk had been raised to high after the pair moved in together.
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Another superior officer, Det Supt Wagstaff, made it clear that while the relationship continued, so did the risk and hence a number of restrictions would be put in place. Restrictions at that point included to report any “incidents” involving AB to PC Brooks-Ashitey’s supervisor immediately.
The next year, the officer said she was still in contact with AB but that they were no longer in a relationship – despite him being insured on her car and visiting her home occasionally. On that occasion, Det Supt Wagstaff explained that it was no longer possible to manage the risk posed to the force while PC Brooks-Ashitey was in a relationship, or had contact with AB. He ordered that AB was to be removed from her car insurance and she was to consider her future with the service.
She was also required to provide details of how she had removed him from the home address and PC Brooks-Ashitey was to give AB clear instructions that he was not to go there for any reason, and she was duty bound to report any contact between the pair to her superiors. PC Brooks-Ashitey had told colleagues that she had ended the relationship, having put her career with the Metropolitan Police first.
In May 2020, while parking a vehicle, AB was arrested having given a saliva specimen that was positive for cannabis. He was released at 4.15am on the morning of May 11 2020 – at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, having told the custody officer that he was “going to call his girlfriend to pick him up”.
It was PC Brooks-Ashitey who collected AB from the police station. She admits to having done so, and that she took him back to her house for the rest of the night. She did not declare this meeting. She told the panel that he had obtained a new phone and that was how he was able to contact her even though she had blocked his number.
A former colleague told the hearing at the misconduct panel: “I was straight to the point and asked her whether she was still in communication with AB and she said, “No”. I asked why she had not reported any incidents and she replied, “I’m not going to update you if there is nothing to update”. She went on to say something similar to: “I’m not going to report it every time I get a WhatsApp message”, but then stopped herself and retracted.
“When I tried to probe further she completely shut down. She was clearly uncomfortable talking about the whole issue and made it very clear she thought that she was being targeted.” However, colleagues were unconvinced that she had severed all ties with AB and believed that they were still communicating via WhatsApp or other social media platforms.
PC Brooks-Ashitey admits that there were other times she had phone and/or in person contact with AB, none of which was reported by her. She relied on character evidence as to her honesty and integrity, not just in mitigation but also as to the factual circumstances alleged against her.
One of PC Brooks-Ashitey’s colleagues PC Mustart said: “I trust Cleo to tell the truth and I have never doubted that”, while another, DC Timms, added that he has known her a relatively short time but he also trusts her and has every confidence in her.
A third, Sgt Haylett says that PC Brooks-Ashitey has always been “honest, trustworthy and committed … she would always ask and accept responsibility when she made a mistake.” And PS Ladjobi also defended her, adding: “If I were to describe Cleo in two words, they would be honest and professional.”
In mitigation, the panel heard how PC Brooks-Ashitey made admissions to the entirety of one allegation, and they considered the undoubted stresses associated with her background of mental ill-health and the pressures of active policing during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The conclusion of the report read: “We want to make it abundantly clear that even though this warning will expire in due course, what underpins it is an absolute requirement to observe orders that are being lawfully given, even if PC Brooks-Ashitey does not agree that they are necessary.
“She must accept that the bargain made when she continues to have association – of whatever kind – with AB is that she will comply with the restrictions that those qualified to assess the risk have imposed. This will mean that aspects of her private life are scrutinised more, as we have said, than in most walks of life.
“She must abide by the rules to which all police officers are subject. PC Brooks-Ashitey, you are being given a second chance. We hope you will take it.”
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I’m Sam, a News Reporter at MyLondon with a special interest in covering court and crime. I started in September 2021, and I’m based in Ealing. You can follow my Facebook page here.
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