Met officer keeps his job despite kerb crawling conviction

A Metropolitan police officer has been allowed to keep his job despite being found guilty of flouting Ipswich`s ban on kerb-crawling.

Mark Daniel, a former vice squad officer, has been given the go-ahead to return to his well-paid job after a Met tribunal demoted him from the rank of detective sergeant to detective constable.

Daniel, 34, of Grimwade Close, Brantham, had faced the prospect of being booted out of the Met after he was found guilty of soliciting a prostitute despite the town`s zero tolerance crackdown on the men who create a demand for the sleazy sex industry.

However, a disciplinary panel opted not to dismiss him when it convened yesterday. Mr Daniel, has refused to comment on his demotion but the Met revealed the disciplinary hearing had paved the way for the married father-of-two`s return to work.

A Met spokesman said: “Mr Daniel has been reduced in rank from a detective sergeant to a detective constable and his suspension has been lifted.”

She added when he will return to duty “will be determined in due course”.

Prior to the disciplinary hearing he had been placed on restricted duties, albeit on full pay.

Daniel denied the offence but was found guilty after a trial at South East Suffolk Magistrates` Court. He lost a subsequent appeal.

Daniel is among 120 people arrested by Suffolk police for kerb-crawling related offences since the launch of the crackdown.

Daniel, , picked up vice girl Donna Drewry, 30, in his unmarked police car in the red light area of Ipswich, Suffolk.

Daniel denied kerb-crawling or any sexual activity and claimed he only wanted her to take him to a burger van early on June 10. But he was found guilty by Ipswich magistrates last September and fined £325 with £450 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Married father-of-two Daniel had his appeal dismissed at Ipswich Crown Court and was ordered to pay another £400 costs in November.

Ipswich magistrates heard how Daniel was followed by police as he drove Miss Drewry to an industrial estate where he paid her £20.

Mrs Drewry claimed she masturbated him and was attempting oral sex on the front seat of the silver Skoda estate when the two police cars screeched up.