PC Hussain Chehab, 22, of the North Area Command Unit, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, January 24, at Wood Green Crown Court to:
- Four counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15 between 1 March 2019 and September 2019; these occurred prior to his service with the Met.
- Three counts of taking indecent photographs of a child; – One count of having sexual contact with a child.
A further four counts of making indecent photographs of a child received no verdict, so the Judge ordered that they be left on file.
Chehab was granted bail for sentencing at the same court on Friday, March 17th.
Following his guilty plea, an accelerated misconduct procedure was initiated and will be completed as soon as possible.
Our thoughts are foremost today with the young girls who Chehab exploited and took advantage of for his own sexual gratification,” said Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline Haines, lead for policing in Enfield, where PC Chehab served.
“These offences are made all the more sickening by the fact that some of the image offences were committed while PC Chehab was in a role as a Safer Schools officer attached to a secondary school in Enfield between May 2021 and his arrest in August 2021.
“Once the initial allegations against PC Chehab were made, he was immediately removed from his role while the investigation took place. We worked closely with the school and Enfield Council to ensure that no further unreported safeguarding incidents or missed opportunities occurred.
“A review of the information provided to the Met prior to him joining as a police officer was carried out and nothing was found that could have indicated his offending.
Prior to commencing his role as a Safer Schools Officer, he was also subject to further Child and Vulnerable Group Supervision vetting, in line with the current vetting standards for all those who work with children and young persons.
“This news will of course cause considerable damage and concern, not only to the local community but Londoners as a whole, who place their trust in police officers to go into our schools alongside their children every day and keep them safe.
“While no evidence has been found linking any of Chehab’s offending to his role, we are engaging with our local schools, community forums and independent advisory groups to reassure them following the damage his actions will have caused.
“The Met continues to ruthlessly pursue those who undermine our integrity. We have made it clear that people like PC Chehab have no place in the Met, and we will take swift and immediate action to arrest and prosecute anyone who commits such heinous criminal acts, as well as work to quickly remove them from the organisation.”
PC Chehab will join the Met on March 30, 2020.
His crimes were discovered in July 2021, when the family of a 16-year-old girl called the police to express their concern about her recent relationship with PC Chehab, which they believed began when she was 15 years old.
On August 24, 2021, he was arrested, and several digital devices were seized.
He was assigned to restricted duties, which required him to work within the confines of a police station in a non-public-facing role and to have no contact with schools or children.
When his devices were examined, a number of lewd images were discovered, and he was arrested again on October 28, when he was also suspended from duty.
Messages between PC Chehab and a 14-year-old girl engaged in sexual communication were also discovered through the analysis of additional devices. She later told police that they had a sexual relationship in 2019, when she was only 14 years old.
He was charged with the aforementioned offences on Tuesday, September 13, 2022.
Anyone with information about a corrupt Met police officer or member of staff who is abusing their position and power can call the Anti-Corruption and Abuse Hotline, run by the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 085 0000 or fill out the online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
