By: Chandrashekar Bhat
A serving officer of the Metropolitan Police is facing trial for his alleged involvement in child sex.
Police constable Hussain Chehab has been charged with 13 offences including sexual activity with an underage girl and taking indecent images of children.
Chehab, arrested in July 2021, is accused of sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15, taking indecent images of children and engaging in sexual communication with a child.
He also allegedly distributed indecent images of a child and encouraged or assisted in the distribution of indecent images of children.
The alleged offences took place between 2019 and 2021. The officer, who has now been suspended from duty, appeared before Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court in London.
The Directorate of Professional Standards of the Met Police was informed of the development in connection with Chehab who worked in the North Area Basic Command Unit (BCU) of the UK’s largest police force.
Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline Haines, who is in charge of policing for the North Area Command Unit, admitted that the crime the officer was accused of would cause concern within the community.
“We recognise that this news will cause concern within the community and we have fully engaged with our local partners throughout this investigation,” Haines said.
“The Met has announced a comprehensive review of its standards as part of a genuine commitment to rebuild trust but I understand that developments such as this undermine that work,” the detective chief superintendent said.
“We would encourage anyone who has concerns about the actions of any of our officers to report them to us immediately.”
