Police officers secretly filmed bragging about violence in Panorama documentary

Police officers based at Charing Cross police station in London have been secretly filmed making racist comments and bragging about violence used against suspects.

Footage gathered undercover for a Panorama documentary shows one officer, Pc Phil Neilson, while off duty referring to an immigrant who had overstayed his visa. He says: “Either put a bullet through his head or deport him.

“And the ones that shag women, rape women, you do the cock and let them bleed out.”

While off duty drinking at a pub, he also tells the undercover reporter Rory Bibb that Algerians and Somalians are “scum”, and makes reference to there being an invasion of the UK by migrants.

“I think any foreign person is the worst to deal with,” he said.

“I’ve seen too many Islamics (sic) committing crimes. Their way of life is not the correct way of life.

“You do find that the ones that are causing the most crime are Muslim.”

Pc Martin Borg brags about a colleague stamping on a detainee’s leg, and laughs about the suspect screaming.

He also appears to say he offered to fill in a false witness statement about the incident.

Pc Borg was filmed saying that Muslims “hate us”, and that “Islam is a problem”.

In a separate incident, Sergeant Joe McIlvenny makes comments about a woman who has been arrested while wearing a fancy dress police outfit.

He also made offensive sexualised comments about a woman he had met online, and turned conversations to sex while at work, and appeared to dismiss a victim’s claim that her abusive partner had kicked her in the stomach while pregnant, and another who alleged they had been raped.

Others were filmed bragging about breaking people’s fingers, and one who repeatedly hit a detainee on the back of the legs with his baton.

Nine serving and one former officer, and one designated detention officer who is a civilian member of staff, are all under investigation for gross misconduct by watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Allegations include excessive use of force, making discriminatory and misogynistic comments, and failing to report or challenge inappropriate behaviour.

One constable is facing a criminal investigation for allegedly perverting the course of justice.

Full details of what they are accused of are emerging now that the Panorama documentary has been made available to view online.

Another incident showed a 17-year-old autistic teenager being restrained by up to eight officers for throwing a pillow, and then being held on the floor for two hours.

Mr Neilson told the undercover Panorama reporter that he had tormented the suspect by pushing on pressure points on his body while in a police van.

Head of the Metropolitan Police Sir Mark Rowley apologised for the officers’ behaviour and pledged that any wrongdoers will be sacked within weeks.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Previous, separate allegations around the same police station cost his predecessor Dame Cressida Dick her job.

She resigned after Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said he no longer had confidence in her leadership.

That scandal focused around messages exchanged by officers between 2016 and 2018, which were so offensive much of the content was unprintable.

Sir Mark 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.

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.

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.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “The disturbing scenes in this footage are sickening. I welcome the Independent Office for Police Conduct fully and urgently investigating all the issues raised in this report.

“It is right that the Metropolitan Police have condemned this, and we fully support their pledge to root out those unfit to serve the public. I know this is a top priority for the commissioner.

“We have given police chiefs the powers to automatically sack officers who fail background checks and dismiss those guilty of gross misconduct, and we expect them to be used.”