Met Police Detective Binned After Guilty Plea for Sexual Assault
A Metropolitan Police officer has been sacked without warning after pleading guilty to sexual assault. Detective Constable Jose Poonsawat, from the Central South Command Unit, admitted the charge at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on 12 July.
Off-Duty Attack Sparks Investigation
The assault took place off-duty on 16 December 2022, when DC Poonsawat was accused of sexually touching a woman without her consent. The probe was led by officers from bromley/" title="Bromley" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Bromley alongside the Met’s Domestic Abuse and Sexual Offences team, part of the Directorate of Professional Standards.
Sentenced and Suspended Before Dismissal
After pleading guilty, Poonsawat was released on bail. On 23 August, he received a tough community order lasting six months, plus a four-month curfew and electronic tagging. He also faced £199 in court costs.
During the inquiry, he was first restricted in duties, then suspended in July. At a misconduct hearing on 20 August, Assistant Commissioner Pippa Mills found his conduct amounted to gross misconduct and promptly dismissed him without notice.
Victim’s Bravery Praised as Police Crack Down
“My thoughts are with the victim who has displayed courage in reporting this sexual assault,” said Detective Superintendent Vanessa Britton, acting commander for policing in Lambeth and Southwark. “Officers are rightly held to account. DC Poonsawat has been held responsible by the courts and the Met’s rigorous misconduct process. He has no place in the Met and has been rightly dismissed.”
Now placed on the barred list maintained by the College of Policing, Poonsawat is banned from working with police forces, oversight bodies, and related organisations across the country.
Met Pledges Zero Tolerance on Officer Misconduct
This case underscores the Metropolitan Police’s commitment to rooting out wrongdoing within its ranks, especially over serious crimes such as sexual offences. Poonsawat’s conviction and swift dismissal sends a clear message: no one is above the law.
