Charing Cross police station sergeant accused of perverting the course of justice after Panorama sting

A Metropolitan Police officer has been charged with perverting the course of justice in the wake of a BBC Panorama investigation into Charing Cross police station.

Sergeant Sadiq Al-Hasani, 37, allegedly tried to stop a colleague giving a statement to watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the Metropolitan Police said.

He was charged on August 13 with perverting the course of justice and is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

The IOPC launched an investigation following the Panorama programme Undercover In The Police, broadcast on October 1 2025.

A journalist went undercover working in the custody suite and filmed a number of officers.

The claims against Mr Al-Hasani were investigated separately by the IOPC, who passed a file of evidence to prosecutors.

It is alleged that on October 2 last year he approached a junior officer, who was a potential witness in the investigation sparked by the documentary, with the intention to obstruct or interfere with the inquiry.

The Panorama programme showed secretly filmed footage of officers making racist comments and bragging about violence used against suspects.

Investigators from the IOPC also went through footage gathered by the journalist but not broadcast as part of the programme.

So far, 15 officers from Charing Cross have been found to have committed gross misconduct and all except one have been barred from policing.

Another 15 officers and staff, 14 who work for the Met and one for British Transport Police, are under investigation by the IOPC.