The daughter of one of Britain’s best-known entertainers has lost a High Court battle with the Metropolitan Police after complaining about a detective who said she was ‘amazingly hot’.
Detective Chief Inspector James Mason, 44, made the comment to Kristina O’Connor, 34, the daughter of late entertainer Des O’Connor, when they met after she reported a crime.
Ms O’Connor took legal action against the Police Misconduct Panel, claiming it failed to address Mr Mason’s ‘predatory and abusive’ actions and that the Metropolitan Police had ‘failed to properly investigate’ her complaint.
The Met Police and the misconduct panel disputed her claims.
Today, Mr Justice Swift, who considered the arguments at several High Court hearings in London this year, dismissed her application for a judicial review.
Kristina O’Connor, 34, took legal action against the Met Police over its handling of DCI James Mason’s misconduct investigation after the officer kept his job
The musician with her father, the entertainer Des O’Connor, who died in 2020
Lawyers representing Ms O’Connor said they were planning to appeal.
Ms O’Connor said after the ruling: ‘This has been a frustrating process and it is not the outcome I was hoping for, but I want to keep fighting for justice for women.’
Lawyer Nancy Collins, who represents her, said: ‘It is very disappointing that the High Court has dismissed Kristina O’Connor’s challenge to the police disciplinary process.’
She said Ms O’Connor has been ‘courageous’ and ‘brave’.
Ms O’Connor was sent numerous inappropriate messages by Mr Mason after he responded to her report of an attempted robbery in October 2011, the judge heard.
She had complained about Mr Mason, who was a detective sergeant at the time.
A police misconduct panel found that Mr Mason had ‘deliberately and repeatedly abused his position for a sexual purpose’ and his conduct ‘amounted to gross misconduct’.
He was given a final written warning.
Mr Mason resigned from the Metropolitan Police late last year, the judge was told.
Ms O’Connor, at a London fashion show. She was sent inappropriate messages by Mr Mason after he responded to her report of an attempted robbery in October 2011, the judge heard
Ms O’Connor said after the ruling: ‘This has been a frustrating process and it is not the outcome I was hoping for, but I want to keep fighting for justice for women’
Lawyers representing Ms O’Connor said the force ‘failed to properly investigate’ the complaint.
They said a police misconduct panel failed to address ‘predatory and abusive’ actions.
Lawyers representing the misconduct panel and the Metropolitan Police disputed claims about the way they handled the process.
‘I reject the claimant’s challenges to the decisions of the (police) commissioner and the panel,’ said Mr Justice Swift in a written ruling.
‘The application for judicial review is dismissed.’
Mr Justice Swift said it was sufficient that the ‘steps that were taken’ during the disciplinary process were ‘both reasonable and appropriate’.