A Metropolitan Police officer, PC Luke Stokes, resigned in disgrace following accusations of cyberflashing a colleague and sending explicit messages to train passengers.
PC Stokes was arrested shortly before midnight on April 9, 2022, after reports emerged that he had sent sexual messages via AirDrop to passengers on the C2C line. The messages included phrases such as “Hi fancy nice cock,” “bonjour,” and “anyone of cock.”
Upon his arrest, PC Stokes allegedly reset his phone in an attempt to destroy evidence. Although a file was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), PC Stokes did not face criminal charges. A Met Police spokesperson explained, “The CPS determined that it did not meet the threshold to bring a prosecution and no further criminal action would be taken.”
The situation worsened when one of PC Stokes’ colleagues revealed that he had sent her an unsolicited sexual image two years prior. Despite her explicit request not to receive a “dick pic,” PC Stokes sent the photo anyway.
In April, a misconduct panel found the allegations against PC Stokes proven. The panel concluded that he would have been dismissed had he not already resigned in March.
Chief Superintendent Joseph McDonald, of the Met’s Public Order Planning team, commented on the incident, stating, “It is quite clear that this former officer’s actions fell way below the standard rightly expected of a police officer. Not only did he send sexual messages to strangers, he tried to cover his tracks and then lie about it to fellow officers. There is no place in the Met for people who think such behaviour is acceptable.”
The case highlights ongoing concerns about conduct within the police force and reinforces the necessity for stringent measures to uphold standards and accountability.
