Met PC lied that woman's theft case had been re-opened so he could go to her house to pursue her

A FORMER Met police officer who attempted to form a relationship with a victim of crime over 18 months has had allegations of gross misconduct against him proven following the conclusion of a hearing.

Former PC Shiva Hetheecharan, who was attached to South West Command Unit, faced allegations his actions breached the standards of professional behaviour in relation to honesty and integrity, authority, respect and courtesy, confidentiality and discreditable conduct. Between October 2018 and May 2020, PC Hetheecharan obtained the phone number of a woman who had made an allegation of theft and contacted her several times – on one occasion asking her out for a drink. Chief Superintendent Lis Chapple, in charge of policing for Kingston, Richmond, Wandsworth and Merton, said: “We expect exemplary standards from our people and we know that when officers take advantage of their position of trust, the mutual respect between police and the public is eroded. “People come to us at their most vulnerable moments expecting us to help and protect them. There is no room in the organisation for those who do not take this responsibility seriously and it is right that had PC Hetheecharan not already left then he would have been dismissed without notice.” On June 15 2019, PC Hetheecharan contacted the woman via Whatsapp and asked her out for a drink, in an attempt to form an inappropriate sexual or emotional relationship with her.

When she didn’t reply to the message, he sent another one saying he took her lack of response ‘as a no’. In May 2020, he again got in touch with her and dishonestly claimed to be following up her case, stating that it had been ‘reopened’ and it was necessary to attend her home address to take a statement. This was not true. The woman then called 101 to report PC Hetheecharan and the Independent Office for Police Conduct launched an independent investigation. After hearing all of the evidence, the chair of the panel concluded today (May 13) that had he not already resigned, former PC Hetheecharan would have been dismissed from the Met. He will now be added to the barred list held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.