A thorough investigation has led to an officer admitting sexual assault during an off duty incident in December 2022.

Detective Constable Jose Poonsawat, attached to the Central South Command Unit, appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 12 July charged with sexual assault.

He pleaded guilty and was released on court bail to appear for sentencing on Friday, 23 August.

He was accused of sexually touching a woman without her consent during an off-duty incident on 16 December 2022, and was investigated by the officers from Bromley, and the Met’s Domestic Abuse and Sexual Offences team. This sits within our Directorate of Professional Standards.

Commander Seb Adjei-Addoh, who leads policing in Lambeth and Southwark, said:

“My thoughts are with the victim who has displayed courage in reporting this sexual assault.

“Officers are quite rightly held to account for wrongdoing by the courts.

“In this case DC Poonsawat has pleaded guilty and now awaits sentencing.”

Now that criminal proceedings have concluded, the misconduct process will commence.