A retired police officer who messaged and called a juror after a trial at Harrow Crown Court has been barred from rejoining the profession.

The officer, who has not been named, retired from the met in December last year, but police have said he would have been dismissed if still serving today.

He was found to have struck up contact with a juror after attending a trial at Harrow Crown Court in November 2022. The juror was also seen in the officer’s car.

Police interviewed him under caution about this, but he denied having any contact with the juror.

Phone data later showed that he had in fact messaged and called the juror.  

A police spokesperson said this was “inappropriate”, as it could be seen as an attempt to influence the juror’s decision.

Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Blackburn has said that the officer’s behaviour was “unacceptable, unprofessional and risked jeopardising a criminal trial”.

The officer has now also been placed on the barred list which prevents him from re-joining the police.