Des O’Connor’s daughter takes legal action against Met police

Kristina O’Connor the daughter of the late Des O’Connor was at a police misconduct panel in a complaint against a serving police officer for inappropriate conduct.

The panel heard that Ms O’Connor had contacted police after an attempted robbery in 2011 when she was assaulted by a group of men who were attempting to steal her phone.

According to the court, the police officer who was called to help Ms O’Connor, James Mason asked her out to dinner and then sent a number of text messages, one of which told her she was “incredibly hot.”

At the time he kept his job and went to work alongside Dame Cressida Dick, the former Met Commissioner. But in October 2021 a police misconduct panel found that Mr Mason has “deliberately and repeatedly abused his position for sexual purpose.”

He was given a final written warning and told his conduct amounted to “gross misconduct”.

Lawyers acting on behalf of Katrina O’Connor said that the Metropolitan police and the panel chair had failed to appreciate the “gravamen of her complaint.”

The lawyers told the High Court hearing in London that the panel had failed to address the predatory nature of Mr James’s actions, that they were sexual, and he was looking to form a personal relationship.

Mr James resigned from the Met in 2022 and the case will continue today (Wednesday, May 17)

With a judgment expected in the near future.