Metropolitan Police officer jailed for misconduct in public office

4 Mar 2022 11:20 AM

A Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officer has been jailed for two years following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) into allegations of inappropriate contact with two teenage girls.

PC Adnan Arib, age 45, denied two charges of misconduct in public office, but was convicted at Southwark Crown Court on 16 February 2022, after pursuing inappropriate contact with the teenage girls who he had met through the course of his duties.

At Southwark Crown Court yesterday (Thursday), he was given concurrent two-year sentences on both counts, at least half of which will be spent in custody.

The IOPC carried out an investigation following a referral from the MPS in July 2019. We initially investigated inappropriate contact between PC Arib and a 15 year old girl he spoke to as a potential suspect in a case he was involved in.  

Our investigation subsequently uncovered evidence of further inappropriate contact, including with a 16 year old girl who had been reported as a missing person when PC Arib met her in the course of his duties.

Between April and July 2019, PC Arib sent text messages to both girls inviting them to meet up with him, and asking inappropriate personal questions. He instructed the 15 year old girl to ‘come alone’ to meet him, and told the 16 year old that she was ‘very pretty’.

Investigators interviewed PC Arib, and spoke to a number of witnesses, as well as obtaining downloads of various electronic devices.

We concluded our investigation in September 2020, and referred a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the charges.

IOPC Regional Director Sal Naseem yesterday said:

“Misconduct in public office is a serious offence. As a police officer, a high degree of trust was placed in PC Arib by the teenagers and their parents. Cases where officers abuse the trust placed in them by engaging, or attempting to engage, in inappropriate relationships with people in a vulnerable position, especially young people, are among the most serious examples of corruption that we investigate. They have real potential to fundamentally damage trust and confidence in the police.

“PC Arib chose to abuse the trust placed in him. His actions were wholly inappropriate. He has now rightly been jailed for his behaviour.

“This outcome sends a clear message to any officer who conducts themselves in such a way: they face serious consequences, and will be held to account.”

Our investigation also uncovered evidence that did not reach the criminal threshold, but which led to us finding a case to answer for gross misconduct.

Allegations against the officer include obtaining private contact details of members of the public for personal use; meeting members of the public without any legitimate policing purpose; attempting to deter a witness from providing material evidence; failing to take appropriate action when a member of the public disclosed a criminal offence; and using language of a discriminatory nature in online communications with a member of the public.

It will now be for the force to take forward misconduct proceedings against PC Arib.