A senior detective who called late TV legend Des O’Connor’s daughter “amazingly hot” will face a second misconduct panel next week.
Detective Chief Inspector James Mason made the remark to Kristina O’Connor when she reported being mugged in Camden.
Ms O'Connor, 37, appealed against a 2021 decision that Mason, 44, would receive only a final written warning for sexually harassing her.
The Court of Appeal said the Metropolitan Police must reconsider its decision not to sack him.
A two-day panel hearing starting next Thursday will reconvene on the issue of sanction for alleged breaches professional standards, relating to honesty, integrity, authority, respect, courtesy and discreditable conduct. He has since resigned.
Mason, who was a detective sergeant at the time, called Ms O’Connor, then 24, his “favourite Camden victim of crime” in October 2011.
The musician was “emotionally vulnerable” as Mason asked about her work as a croupier at the Playboy Club and whether she wore a bunny outfit.
When challenged about the advances, Mason, who later became Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick’s staff officer, replied: “I can assure you that I am as determined in my pursuit of criminals as I am of beautiful women.”
After being bruised and given a black eye during the attempted robbery, Ms O’Connor reported the attack and was taken to Kentish Town Police Station.
While taking down her statement, Mason asked if he could take her out for dinner that evening. He later emailed asking her out for a drink and told her that despite her injuries, “I am sure you still looking amazingly hot”.
When she asked him to stop, he wrote: “Coming on to victims is positively encouraged, it’s all part of the friendly and accessible face of the Met Police. It’s the rejection that is frowned upon.”
Ms O’Connor made a complaint against the Met in 2020 after a Facebook memory showed her the original emails, before taking legal action against the panel’s decision.
But in 2023, a judge dismissed the claim saying it was “sufficient” that the “steps that were taken” during the disciplinary investigation were “both reasonable and appropriate”.
She took her fight to the Court of Appeal which ruled in January that the exchanges between Mason and Ms O’Connor made her distrustful of the police.
Lady Justice Nicola Davies, sitting with Lord Justice Baker and Lord Justice Bean, said Mason’s actions were “confusing, distressing and frightening” to Ms O’Connor.
She said: “She felt vulnerable and having been physically assaulted in the original incident and taken advantage of by Mr Mason, once again felt like a target.”
The judge continued: “The conduct of Mr Mason in 2011 was as reprehensible then as it is today.
“It may be said that there exists greater recognition of the seriousness of such conduct today but that cannot and does not minimise the serious nature of the misconduct.”
She continued: “It is difficult to identify the reasoning of the panel as to why such sanction was appropriate rather than the more serious outcomes of reduction in rank or dismissal.
“The panel’s statement that such outcomes would be disproportionately harsh does little to assist an understanding of its reasoning as to the appropriateness of the sanction.”
Ms O’Connor said after the ruling: “This process has taught me that police will go to greater lengths to protect themselves than they will to protect victims and vulnerable women.”
The Met said: “We are aware of the judgement and as directed we will now reconvene a misconduct panel. This will consider what sanction former DCI James Mason should receive for the original finding of gross misconduct against him.
“The Met took the allegations against DCI James Mason very seriously. A misconduct hearing panel, led by an independent legally qualified chair, found his conduct amounted to gross misconduct and issued him a final written warning.
“His behaviour was wholly unacceptable and the Met Police has not sought to justify the panel’s decision throughout the ongoing legal process. The Commissioner has made it clear that officers who behave in this way have no place in the Met.”
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