At a glance
Met PC Grant Long, 34, was caught in a sting operation after expressing sexual interest in children and attempting to groom a supposed 10-year-old girl, leading to his arrest and dismissal from the force.
He pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting in the sexual assault of a child and distributing indecent images, receiving a two-year suspended prison sentence.
A senior officer has condemned his actions as a grave abuse of trust that undermines public confidence in policing.
A Metropolitan Police officer who expressed a sexual interest in new-born babies and attempted to groom a “schoolgirl” has been spared a prison sentence.
PC Grant Long, 34, was snared by an undercover officer posing as a paedophile offering his 10-year-old stepdaughter for sex.
Long told “Jason” he preferred children aged over five, but had “enjoyed from new-born previously”, a gross misconduct hearing heard.
He was arrested while on duty in January and his phone seized.
Detectives found incriminating emails and texts between both men.
Long had been attached to the Met’s Central West Command Unit in the West End, which has been mired in scandal after a recent BBC Panorama.
A journalist covertly filmed officers at Charing Cross Police Station revelling in the use of force, calling for immigrants to be shot and being dismissive of rape claims. The force has not said where Long was stationed.
At Snaresbrook Crown Court last month Long, of Eltham, received a two-year sentence, suspended for 24 months having pleaded guilty to intentionally encouraging or assisting in the sexual assault of a child by penetration and three counts of distributing indecent images.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who led the disciplinary panel, said: “He discusses his sexual interest in children and discussed arrangements to meet the male and the child to engage in sexual activities with her.
“PC Long also disclosed he had previously engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old female when he was 19 years old.”
A force spokeswoman said he was immediately suspended and the case referred to the Directorate of Professional Standards, with Long dismissed following an accelerated misconduct hearing.
AC Taylor added: “It is unacceptable for police officers who are responsible for enforcing the law to break the law in this way.
“PC Long would be very aware of the extensive work ongoing in relation to tackling child sex offences and the enormous challenge this poses policing.
“His behaviour could seriously undermine and cause harm to the public trust and confidence in the Met, and UK policing as a whole.
“PC Long had no regard to the harm it could cause to what he believed to be a child.
“The public quite rightly would not expect a serving police officer to behave in this way.”
AC Taylor added he was satisfied that the sting operation, involving an undercover operative from Bedfordshire Police’s Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, was “properly conducted”.
Scotland Yard said: “A former Met officer has been given a two year custodial sentence, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to one count of intentionally encouraging/assisting in the sexual assault of a child by penetration and three counts of distributing an indecent image of a child.
“PC Grant Long, 34, previously attached to the Met’s Central West Command Unit, appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, October 24.
“PC Long had pleaded guilty to the offences, which took place between November 19 and December 21, 2024, during a hearing at Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday, September 3.
“He was arrested on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 while on duty and charged on Thursday, June 19 for the above offences.
“He was immediately suspended and the case referred to the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards, with PC Long dismissed following an accelerated misconduct hearing on Friday, January 31.”
