Rogue Officer Who Served in Both Met and Leicestershire Police Found Guilty of Fraud and On-Duty Sex Worker Visit
By Crime Correspondent.
A former police officer who served across two major UK forces has been condemned by a disciplinary panel for a "deliberate and planned" string of criminal and professional failures, including a fake stop-and-search used to defraud a motorist.
Imran Patel, a former Metropolitan Police Officer and former Leicestershire Police Constable, was found to have committed gross misconduct following a two-day hearing. The panel heard how Imran Patel exploited his police training and equipment to prey on a member of the public and spent time with sex workers while he was supposed to be protecting the streets of London.
The hearing detailed Patel’s history within the British police service, noting a career that spanned nearly a decade across two regions, Leicestershire Police, 9 January 2017 – 11 August 2019, Metropolitan Police Service, he Joined shortly thereafter, serving until his resignation on 29 July 2024.
The most serious charge related to 19 August 2021, when Imran Patel was a serving member of the Metropolitan Police. The panel found that Patel, accompanied by an associate, donned a police uniform in Leicester to intercept a vehicle driven by Mr. Hemant Singh.
Under the guise of a lawful drug search, Imran Patel "abused his position" to seize Mr. Singh’s driving licence and approximately £1,500 to £1,700 in cash. Though Imran Patel later returned a portion of the money after being pursued by the victim, Mr. Singh reported that £800 was still missing.
Evidence proved damning, cell site analysis and CCTV confirmed Imran Patel’s personal Vauxhall Jetta was at the scene. Furthermore, Imran Patel had lied to his insurance company, claiming he had hit an unoccupied vehicle to cover up a collision that occurred during the incident.
The hearing also focused on the afternoon of 5 May 2022. While actively on duty with the Metropolitan Police, Imran Patel used his phone to browse adult sex websites.
Digital forensics showed that at 5:53 PM, Imran Patel called a number linked to an advertisement for "sexy Brazilians." Surveillance logs then tracked him entering a flat in London at 6:06 PM an address later confirmed to be a premises for sex work. He remained inside for 13 minutes while still "on the clock."
Imran Patel’s written defence claimed he was merely seeking a "massage," but the panel dismissed this as "utterly implausible," stating that the sexual nature of the websites and services was "abundantly clear."
Even after leaving Leicestershire Police in 2019, Imran Patel remained in possession of specialised police gear. During a search of his home on 10 August 2022, officers discovered a Leicestershire Police issue stab vest.
The panel noted that Imran Patel had been required to return all equipment five years prior. They emphasised that such items are "distinctive" and, in the wrong hands, are used to trick the public into a false sense of trust exactly as Imran Patel did during his fraudulent search in 2021.
FPC Imran Patel refused to attend the hearing and has not engaged with the Police Federation for several months. In his absence, the panel, chaired by Commander Elisabeth Chapple, found all allegations proven.
The panel concluded, Imran Patel, l acted with clear intent to make a financial gain and lied during police interviews.
His actions were "carried out deliberately" and required a degree of planning.
His behavior "gravely undermined" the reputation of the police service.
Because Imran Patel resigned in 2024, he could not be formally dismissed; however, the panel ruled that had he still been serving, he would have been dismissed without notice.
Imran Patel will now be placed on the College of Policing Barred List, ensuring he can never hold a position in any UK police force again. He has been notified of his right to appeal the decision to the Police Appeals Tribunal.
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