Met detective commended for bravery resigns before misconduct case over domestic abuse conviction

A MET Police detective commended for bravery resigned just days before a misconduct hearing about a domestic abuse conviction after more than 23 years of service.

The hearing today determined that he would have been dismissed had he still been a serving officer.

Former Detective Sergeant Nathaniel Lee, previously based at East Area Command Unit, was found guilty of assault by beating at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, July 27 last year.

He was fined £969, costs of £620 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £97.

The offence happened on October 5 2020 when DS Lee was off duty. He assaulted his partner by pulling her hair and hoodie causing her to fall to the ground.

His conviction followed an investigation by Essex Police and liaison with the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards which progressed the misconduct matters.

A special case hearing was held on Thursday, April 7 for former DS Lee, who recently resigned, to answer allegations he breached the police standards of professional behaviour in respect of discreditable conduct.

The hearing found the allegations proven.

East Area local commander Stuart Bell said: “Former DS Nathaniel Lee has been convicted of a serious offence.

“There is no place in the Met for anyone who commits domestic abuse and we will continue to hold those who carry out such offences to account.”

We cannot and are not waiting for the findings of ongoing inquiries to begin rebuilding the public’s trust and confidence that police officers will protect and respect them. We have already taken a number of significant steps to start real change across the organisation. These include two independent reviews, an increase in the number of investigators in our professional standards directorate and the creation of a new dedicated team focused on investigating allegations of sexual misconduct and domestic abuse involving our officers and staff.

Lee tried to appeal the conviction last October, which suspended misconduct proceedings, but was unsuccessful, before the disciplinary case resumed.

Lee has posted online that he left the Met in April 22 and is looking for work with new challenges.

In 2010 it was reported in the Barking and Dagenham post that Lee pursued an attempted killer who fled to the US, for four years, eventually arresting him at Heathrow Airport.

Two years later he and a female colleague were praised for their diligent work on a kidnap case that resulted in the victim being recovered and five suspects being arrested and charged.