Top cop jailed for corruption

Monday, 08 February 2010

LONDON (AP) — A senior London police officer was ordered jailed for four years Monday for assaulting and falsely arresting a man over a minor financial dispute.

A jury at London's Southwark Crown Court convicted Metropolitan Police Commander Ali Dizaei of misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice.

He was found guilty of attacking 24-year-old Iraqi businessman Waad al-Baghdadi outside a restaurant in July 2008 before arresting him and then falsely claiming that the man had assaulted him with the metal mouthpiece from a hookah pipe.

Al-Baghdadi said Dizaei attacked him after he asked the police officer to pay 600 pounds ($1,000) he was owed for designing a Web site.

Metropolitan Police chief Paul Stephenson said Dizaei had breached the public's trust "and damaged not only his own reputation but that of the entire police service."

He is expected to be fired by the police force within weeks.

Judge Peregrine Simon said the lengthy jail sentence was intended "to send a clear message that police officers of whatever rank are not above the law."

Iran-born Dizaei, former president of Britain's National Black Police Association, has faced controversy before. In 2003 he was cleared of allegations he faked expense claims and obstructed justice after a lengthy inquiry.

That investigation so outraged the Black Police Association that they called on minority recruits to boycott Scotland Yard, claiming the force suffered from pervasive racism.

The association's current president, Charles Crichlow, said it would be inappropriate to comment Dizaei's case pending a possible appeal.