Sergeant Joe McIlvenny was among Met Police officers at Charing Cross police station in London who were secretly filmed making shocking racist and sexist comments in a BBC Panorama investigation
A Met Police sergeant told a woman in fancy dress who was arrested for being drunk that he “paid money” to see people like that in undercover filming that exposed his repeated sexual and misogynistic remarks at work.
Police officers based at Charing Cross police station in London were secretly filmed as they also made racist comments and bragged about violence used against suspects for an episode of BBC’s Panorama. Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the behaviour outlined by Panorama on Wednesday was, “disgraceful, totally unacceptable and contrary to the values and standards” of the force.
Sgt Joe McIlvenny, an officer with nearly 20 years’ service in the Met, was filmed being dismissive about a pregnant woman’s allegations of rape and domestic violence after a colleague raised concerns about the decision to release the accused man on bail. When his colleague says the woman was ‘kicked in the stomach’, Sgt McIlvenny replied: “That’s what she says.”
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When a woman was arrested wearing a police fancy dress outfit, Sgt McIlvenny responded “awesome”. After being told the woman, who was arrested for being drunk, was in a ‘leather police outfit’, Sgt McIlvenny replied: “Stop it.”. He then went on to say: “I’ve paid money to go to clubs and see women dressed like this.”
He then laughed before the BBC’s undercover reporter claimed he ‘looked on the CCTV monitor’ and went to go and “oversee the search of the woman”. The officer was also filmed in the custody area crudely discussing masturbating and having sex with an obese woman, telling a colleague a woman he met online “fills the door, almost like monstrous” before making disgusting comments about her genitals.
He also spoke of his own sexual pleasure and preferences using crude and graphic language, despite the objections of several female colleagues within earshot. In the custody suite, he was heard in the undercover recording saying: “If you ever had your nipples played with while you’re aroused, it’s f***ing amazing. Apparently if you have them pierced you can just give them a little tug.”
A woman is then heard responding “Oh no” in the background. He is then heard in the footage continuing: “The next time you get, you’re satisfied just give them a little squeeze”, to which one person can be heard responding: “No. No.” while another saying: “I think I’m seriously regretting my place of work now.”
While the BBC’s undercover reporter was working at Charing Cross police station, Sgt McIlvenny was informed he was being investigated for inappropriate comments he allegedly made to a woman being held in custody. Staff told the undercover reporter that the woman was Asian and Sgt McIlvenny allegedly told her she should be in the “massage business”.
Meanwhile, a PC told the undercover reporter in a pub that a detainee who had overstayed his visa should have “a bullet through his head” and “ones that shag, rape women, you’d do the c**k and let them bleed out”. And another officer tells the reporter: “The Somalians are scum. Any foreign person is the worst to deal with.”
Undercover reporter, Rory Bibb, spent seven months up to January this year as a designated detention officer in the custody suite of Charing Cross police station where cops previously joked about raping women, domestic violence and racism. That scandal led to former commissioner Dame Cressida Dick stepping down from her role in February 2022.
The new allegations will “cause some to question if their sons and daughters are safe in our cells”, current Met boss Sir Mark Rowley said. Nine serving officers have been suspended and the police watchdog has launched a major investigation into the BBC’s findings, with one PC under criminal investigation.
Allegations also broadcast include claims of excessive force against suspects being held at the police station. Sir Mark said on Wednesday, ahead of the programme going out: “Officers behaving in such appalling, criminal ways, let down our communities and will cause some to question if their sons and daughters are safe in our cells, and whether they would be believed and respected as victims of crime. For that, I am truly sorry.
“In line with our uncompromising approach, within 48 hours of these allegations being received, nine officers and one staff member had been suspended, with two more officers removed from frontline duties. It’s my expectation that for those involved, where there is incontrovertible evidence of racism, misogyny, anti-Muslim sentiment or bragging about excessive use of force, they will be put on a fast-track hearing within weeks and on a path to likely dismissal.”
He has been backed by London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, who said he has confidence in the commissioner’s efforts to kick wrongdoers out of the Met, and that he is “disgusted and appalled” by the alleged behaviour.
Sir Sadiq said: “Sexism, racism, misogyny and the excessive use of force have no place in the police. I have met with the commissioner to discuss directly the issues exposed by the BBC – and its impact on public confidence and trust in the police. A series of urgent changes have been put in place at Charing Cross police station and across the Met, with more to follow.
“I support the new approach to tackling misconduct set out by the commissioner. There must be zero tolerance to this kind of behaviour and no hiding place for officers who abuse their position of trust.”
On Tuesday, watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which has launched its own inquiry into the claims, said that 11 current and former officers were under investigation for potential gross misconduct. One constable was also under criminal investigation, accused of perverting the course of justice.
The alleged incidents are said to have occurred while those said to have been involved were both on and off duty between August 2024 and January 2025. The entire custody team at Charing Cross has been disbanded and moved elsewhere in the wake of the allegations, which emerged after an investigation by Panorama.
Earlier this month the force said it was using “Al Capone” style tactics to root out wrongdoers and break-up cliques within the ranks. Sir Mark added: “Having cleared out huge volumes of unsuitable staff over recent years, we are now probing deeper into the corrupt networks and cliques our actions have driven underground. We are hardening our policies, such as bringing membership of secret societies into the light, and deploying AI and analytical intelligence technologies to spot early signs and troubling trends in our staff’s behaviour.
“The vast majority of our people join policing with a vocational sense of public duty. We’ll support even more staff to report wrongdoing and we will equip and develop our leaders to help them succeed in driving lasting cultural change. “Those who can’t or won’t improve should expect to leave.”
Paula Dodds, chairwoman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: “The federation deplores any discriminatory behaviour in the strongest possible terms – such behaviour has no place in policing or society. If officers are proven to be guilty of criminal offences or serious gross misconduct, then we do not want these individuals in the job.
“But all police officers – like all people – have the right to representation and due process, and not trial by media or documentary. Or indeed senior officers or politicians.”