Met Police chief sacked for child abuse video is allowed back to work
A highly decorated officer convicted of possessing a child abuse video on her phone has won an appeal against her dismissal from the Metropolitan Police.
Superintendent Robyn Williams, 56, was sacked in March last year for failing to report an indecent video her sister had sent her.
But, because of the ‘complex circumstances’, this has been dubbed ‘unreasonable’.
Ms Williams, who was a Met police officer for 36 years, received the 54-second clip in February 2018.
Her sister had sent the video to 17 people pleading for others to share it so the perpetrator could be found.
Ms Williams said she was at a gym class when she received the video, did not watch it and did not know it was on her phone.
Nevertheless, the Old Bailey convicted her of possessing child pornography in November 2019.
Then, after the Met found her guilty of gross misconduct, she was sacked for the ‘very grave’ mistake of not reporting the video.
But now, an independent panel concluded it was ‘unfair’ to fire Ms Williams on Wednesday.
The panel said she should have been issued with a final written warning instead. More details of this judgement are set to be published this week.
Ms Williams, from Brent, said: ‘I am extremely pleased with today’s outcome.
‘For over a year, before and during the pandemic, I have continued to support local people by working within community initiatives.
‘I am therefore delighted to be able to return to the work I love, serving our communities within London.’
The Met had originally found Ms Williams’ actions likely to undermine public confidence with Met Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball calling the officer’s failure to report the video ‘entirely unacceptable’.
She was ordered to register as a sex offender, despite the court conceding her offending was not of a sexual nature, and she was made to do unpaid work.
Ms Williams has had the support of the Police Superintendents’ Association which said it is ‘pleased [the] panel agreed that her dismissal was unreasonable in light of the complex circumstances surrounding her conviction’.
The Met said in a statement: ‘The tribunal determined Ms Williams’ dismissal should be replaced with a final written warning. We await the full judgement. Once received, we will then consider the ruling and engage with Ms Williams’ representatives accordingly.’
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