Ex-Met officer who paid woman for sex during Covid lockdown barred from future policing roles

A former Met Police officer, found guilty of misconduct during pandemic restrictions, has been barred from returning to any policing role.

Hassan Mahmood visited a woman in her house in Mitcham in south London in January 2021 and paid her for sex. He was fined £660 at the City of London Magistrates’ Court earlier after admitting to having participated in a gathering of two or more people in violation of Covid regulations.

The breach took place when the UK was passing through the second wave of the pandemic, exerting pressure on the health system.

He resigned from the force in November last year and Scotland Yard said he would now be added to the “Barred List held by the College of Policing.”

Anyone appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services or the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

The allegations against Mahmood, who was attached to the South Area Basic Command Unit of the UK’s largest police force, were proven at a gross misconduct hearing last week.

South London’s local policing commander, chief Superintendent Dave Stringer said the former officer’s actions were “completely unacceptable” and the outcome of the hearing showed there “is no place for such behaviour in the Met.”

In contrast to the vast majority of officers “who get into policing to protect the most vulnerable people”, Mahmood “let down his colleagues and the people of London who put their trust in us to keep them safe," Stringer said.