Met Police Officer Slapped with Suspended Jail Sentence for Harassment
Detective Constable Gets Ten-Week Suspended Sentence
Metropolitan Police officer Trainee Detective Constable Christopher Gibbons, 32, has been handed a ten-week suspended jail term after being found guilty of harassing a woman. The conviction came after a trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on July 13.
On August 10, Gibbons appeared again at the same court and was sentenced to ten weeks in custody, suspended for two years. He also faces a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and must pay £500 compensation to his victim. A restraining order bans him from contacting the woman again.
Harassment Spanned Nearly Two Weeks
Gibbons, attached to the Central West Command Unit, was arrested on September 25, 2022, following an incident earlier that day. A probe by the Central South Command Unit revealed he harassed the same woman multiple times between September 14 and 25.
Official harassment charges were filed on February 21, 2023. After his arrest, the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards was alerted and Gibbons was suspended from duty.
Met Police Vow No Tolerance for Criminal Conduct
Chief Superintendent Louise Puddefoot, overseeing Central West Basic Command Unit, slammed the officer’s behaviour. “We have made it clear that any police officer or member of staff who commits a criminal offence will be brought to justice. We must give London the Met that it deserves, and anyone that fails to meet that standard, particularly if they commit a criminal offence, cannot possibly remain in our organisation.”
Next Steps: Misconduct Hearing Looms
With the criminal case closed, a misconduct hearing is set to take place soon. This hearing will decide Gibbons’ future within the police force and address his actions in detail.
