A former Metropolitan Police Service (Met) officer has been found guilty of gross misconduct for making rape jokes during a training session. The officer, who has not been named, will face disciplinary action after a hearing held by the Met Police.
The hearing, which was held in secret, found that the officer's comments were 'grossly unprofessional' and 'disrespectful to victims of rape'. The officer's actions were deemed to be in breach of the Met Police's code of conduct and the officer's contract.
The Met Police have stated that they take allegations of misconduct seriously and will take appropriate action. The officer's actions have sparked outrage among victims' groups and campaign organisations, who have called for greater action to be taken to tackle misogynistic and discriminatory behaviour within the police force.
The Met Police have also announced that they will be conducting a review of their training procedures to ensure that officers are better equipped to handle sensitive and complex issues such as rape and domestic abuse.
The UK's Met Police force has faced criticism in the past for its handling of rape cases, with some critics arguing that the force has a 'rape culture' problem.