Nine Met Police officers fined for breaking Covid-19 rules

20 January 2021, 07:28 | Updated: 20 January 2021, 07:58

Nine serving Metropolitan Police officers have been fined for breaching Covid-19 legislation after photos emerged online showing them dining in a cafe while on duty.

Each officer, members of the South East Basic Command Unit, has been ordered to pay £200.

The pictures were reportedly taken at The Chef House Kitchen Café in Greenwich on January 9 before being posted online.

Chief Superintendent Rob Atkin said: “Police officers are tasked with enforcing the legislation that has been introduced to stop the spread of the virus and the public rightly expect that they will set an example through their own actions.

“It is disappointing that on this occasion, these officers have fallen short of that expectation.

"It is right that they will pay a financial penalty and that they will be asked to reflect on their choices.”

What is the Met doing to get its officers the Covid vaccine?

The news comes the day after Metropolitan Police Commissioner told LBC incidents of people coughing at police officers claiming to have Covid-19 is "widespread".

Speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari on Call the Commissioner, Dame Cressida Dick said officers are being spat and coughed at on an almost daily basis, although not every assailant uses Covid as a threat.

"I'm sorry to say it is quite widespread and we've got several examples, and it's disgusting, it's awful," she said.

On how frequent it is, Dame Cressida added: "We've had 97 occasions where someone has either mentioned or threatened Covid and then coughed.

"We've had 48 where they've spat. "

The force has now charged 126 people with that, with nearly two-thirds of them then being given custodial sentences.

Dame Cressida also told LBC she was "baffled" officers are not at the front of the queue for the Covid vaccine.