According to a police statement released on Tuesday, a former Met Police Officer was accused of misconduct and would have been fired if he had not resigned.
On Monday, 12 June, an accelerated misconduct hearing was held for former PC Darren Hourigan after he was discovered to have inappropriate images.
When the event occurred, PC Hourigan was stationed in the South Area Command Unit.
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The former officer was found to have engaged in discreditable conduct, which is a breach of the standards of professional behaviour as determined by the misconduct hearing.
During the hearing, Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gary, serving as the Chair, determined that the allegations were proven to be gross misconduct. Consequently, had former PC Hourigan still been an active officer, he would have been dismissed without notice.
The Chief Superintendent, Andy Brittain, who is in charge of the policing in South Area, said, “We have made it clear that the Met will take action against any of its staff who are not fit to remain within the organisation.
“We are committed to providing Londoners with a Met that they deserve; one that upholds the law on the streets of the capital and amongst its own ranks. The vast majority of the thousands of police officers and staff are striving to take this forward – those who won’t are not worthy to remain.”
What Offence did Former PC Darren Hourigan commit?
In March 2020, the former police officer was arrested following an investigation by the Met’s Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse team, with support from the Directorate of Professional Standards.
The officer was charged with possessing three indecent images of children on 21 September 2022 and was summoned to attend a hearing at Kingston Crown Court on 14 November 2022. At the hearing, he was released on bail until the plea and trial preparation hearing.
At a later hearing, former PC Darren Hourigan admitted to possessing indecent images of children on three separate occasions. He is scheduled to be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, 7 July.
He resigned from the MPS ON 26 April 2023.
PC Hourigan has been added to the Barred List maintained by the College of Policing, which means he is ineligible for employment by the police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct, or Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.
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