Met PCSO banned from every park in England after performing 'sex act' in uniform

1 April 2022, 09:36 | Updated: 1 April 2022, 16:07

A serving Metropolitan Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) has admitted to masturbating in a south London park after a video emerged appearing to show the officer performing the sex act.

PCSO Kevin Phillips, attached to the Met's Roads and Transport Policing Command, was charged with outraging public decency after being caught committing the act while wearing his uniform in Dog Kennel Hill park in East Dulwich, Croydon Magistrates' Court was told on Friday.

The 56-year old has also been suspended from duty and banned from every park in England and Wales.

It follows a video appearing to show a uniformed officer performing a sex act in London being circulated online. The video has been viewed thousands of times.

In the short clip which was posted to Twitter, a man in uniform can be seen checking over his shoulder whilst sitting on a bench, in his uniform, next to his police cap, before looking at his mobile phone and then carrying out a sex act.

The video came to the attention of police shortly before 11.30pm on Wednesday, the Met said.

Mr Phillips admitted the offence with a guilty plea when questioned, blaming his behaviour on stress and a medical condition, the court heard.

He was released on bail on the condition he does not enter a park or recreation ground in England or Wales. His solicitor, Tahir Ali, told the court Phillips is married with two young daughters.

The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards is leading this investigation and a referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Kyle Gordon, who is in charge of the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: "I know that everyone will be absolutely shocked by this video. I am absolutely horrified and saddened by incidents such as this, as are all decent officers and staff.

"They are contrary to everything we stand for.

"I would like to reassure everyone that we are working as fast as we possibly can to identify the full circumstances of what took place.

"As soon as we became aware of the video just before midnight we acted immediately.

"Officers worked throughout the night and a serving member of police staff was arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning and taken into custody.

"As a criminal investigation is now under way we are limited in what further details we can discuss. However, we will keep the public updated at significant stages of the inquiry."

The incident comes after a string of high-profile incidents of misconduct within the Met Police.

Two officers were recently jailed for sharing images of the bodies of murdered sisters Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry.

Whilst an IOPC report uncovered racist, homophobic and misogynistic behaviour by officers based at Charing Cross police station.