Met Police Officer Sacked Over Racist Comments Made During BBC Panorama Probe
Philip Neilson dismissed with immediate effect after being found guilty of gross misconduct by the Met Police.
A Metropolitan Police officer at Charing Cross police station in London has been sacked for making racist comments and endorsing improper force, following an undercover BBC Panorama investigation.
Philip Neilson was dismissed with immediate effect on Thursday after a Met hearing upheld three allegations against him, including making highly racist and discriminatory remarks about different ethnic groups.
The first of 10 current or former officers to face a hearing as part of the accelerated misconduct proceedings by the Met Police concerning footage recorded during the Panorama investigation, according to the BBC.
Neilson was recorded describing an "invasion" of "scum" from the Middle East and making inflammatory remarks about individuals from Algeria and Somalia.
He also referred to Somalians as "scum" and claimed that there was an invasion of the UK by migrants.
Additionally, he was recorded saying that a detainee who had overstayed his visa should have a "bullet through his head".
Neilson worked for the Met Police for four years.
Commander Jason Prins, chair of the panel held in southwest London on Thursday, found all the allegations proven and stated that Neilson's conduct was disgraceful.
Neilson denied being racist and claimed that the undercover reporter had breached his human rights.
He admitted that the comments were not appropriate but argued that they only constituted misconduct, with some made while he was intoxicated.
Another officer featured in BBC Panorama, Martin Borg, was also dismissed on Thursday after the Met's panel upheld five out of eight allegations of gross misconduct against him.
This incident follows a previous scandal involving officers at Charing Cross police station who were found to have made shocking messages about rape and domestic abuse, as well as made racist comments in messages exchanged from 2016-2018.
Philip Neilson was dismissed with immediate effect on Thursday after a Met hearing upheld three allegations against him, including making highly racist and discriminatory remarks about different ethnic groups.
The first of 10 current or former officers to face a hearing as part of the accelerated misconduct proceedings by the Met Police concerning footage recorded during the Panorama investigation, according to the BBC.
Neilson was recorded describing an "invasion" of "scum" from the Middle East and making inflammatory remarks about individuals from Algeria and Somalia.
He also referred to Somalians as "scum" and claimed that there was an invasion of the UK by migrants.
Additionally, he was recorded saying that a detainee who had overstayed his visa should have a "bullet through his head".
Neilson worked for the Met Police for four years.
Commander Jason Prins, chair of the panel held in southwest London on Thursday, found all the allegations proven and stated that Neilson's conduct was disgraceful.
Neilson denied being racist and claimed that the undercover reporter had breached his human rights.
He admitted that the comments were not appropriate but argued that they only constituted misconduct, with some made while he was intoxicated.
Another officer featured in BBC Panorama, Martin Borg, was also dismissed on Thursday after the Met's panel upheld five out of eight allegations of gross misconduct against him.
This incident follows a previous scandal involving officers at Charing Cross police station who were found to have made shocking messages about rape and domestic abuse, as well as made racist comments in messages exchanged from 2016-2018.
