‘Total tragedy’: Met Police sack senior black female officer

Novlett Robyn Williams was convicted of possessing an indecent image of a child after she was sent an unsolicited video by her sister

SACKED: Novlett Robyn Williams

ONE OF the most senior black female police officers in the UK has been sacked after she was found guilty of possessing video footage of child abuse.

Supt Novlett Robyn Williams was convicted in November and sentenced to 200 hours unpaid work over the possession of an indecent image of a child. She was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years.

Today in a fast-track misconduct hearing, Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Helen Ball ruled that Supt Williams’ conviction was “discreditable conduct” and amounted to gross misconduct.

Former chair of the Black Police Association Charitable Trust and Met Supt Leroy Logan told The Voice the decision was a “total tragedy” and would have a negative impact on the the Metropolitan Police’s relationship with the black community and its recruitment of black officers.

“It’s a total tragedy. I truly believe it will make such a massive impact on community trust and confidence to know that such a high profile officer has been subject to a real lack of objectivity in a case which really could happen to anyone,” he said.

He added: “This will erode the black community’s trust and confidence in the police.

“High profile cases like this also have an impact on recruitment of officers so it’s going to have an impact on the Met’s aspirations to be a reflective organisation on the street’s of London.”

Williams’ supporters, including the Black Police Association, have said the case is an

“I can’t discount the possibility that this has happened to a white officer and it’s never seen the light of day. It’s only been brushed under the carpet,” Logan said. “This level of scrutiny that black officers face is significantly higher than a white counterpart.”

The BBC reported that Ball said racial bias played “no part” in her decision. 

Logan condemned the Met for going forward with the hearing before Williams’ appeals against her conviction have been exhausted.

“You would have thought that the Met would have waited for that result before they made this decision,” Logan said. “I think they’ve been extremely premature.”

Williams has lodged an appeal against her conviction but the Met said the hearing was required to take place without delay.

Williams, a senior officer and recipient of the Queen’s policing medal for distinguished service, maintains that she did not view the footage which was sent to her unsolicited by her sister Jennifer Hodge.

Hodge forwarded the clip to her 17 WhatsApp contacts after she received it from her partner, Dido Massivi.

Jurors believed Williams’ claim that she did not view the footage but disagreed with her that she did not know the clip was on her phone.

Williams has the right to appeal the misconduct hearing’s ruling.

Comments Form

8 Comments

  1. | nigel

    Mr Logan is wrong in his assumption that this will have a negative impact on the recruitment of black police officers or the Met’s relationship with the Black community. That would negate the substantial contribution that Ms Williams has achieved in her distinguished service with the Met Police and also belittle the concern that the black community has over child protection.

    The tradgedy to me seems to be the fact that she failed to convince her own sister of the important contribution that she was making to society.

    Reply

  2. | Tate

    I am extremely disappointed in myself to have had any hope that this outcome was going to unfold differently… I lost sight for a moment in the false hope… totally forgetting who we were dealing with!!!

    Why feel the need to even mention there was “no racial bias in the decision making” as if she would have said otherwise!

    Makes you wonder… can’t knock them really living up to their true self and beliefs.

    Reply

  3. | Peter Morrison

    While not discounting the racism of the MPS or the judiciary it is the CPS which is the critical actor. They ignored the public interest test and employed the most expensive criminal barrister in the country. Contrast this with wildlife crime cases where they often employ the least experienced barrister who usually loses.

    Reply

  4. | Pamela

    I just hang my head, and hear in the background, we in the uk, are not racist, we are a diverse nation, accepting of all races, black people and their continued contributions to the uk society, a white person in this same situation, would be sitting in the back until the thunder ends. Hope she finds a better job. But the uk, along with many other companies are rife with hate the Blackman…. we need to leave gomorah

    Reply

  5. | Iqbal

    Very sad. Alot of white officers have got away with a written warning for much worse.

    Reply

  6. | Rachel James

    This is such a travesty of justice it appalls me, does anyone know if there is a campaign to bring justice for Robyn? It’s outrageous that this quite obvious institutional racism should not be challenged. I’d like to support her in any way I can.

    Reply

    • | Anderson Msosa

      About Officer Novlett Robyn Williams and the dehumanizing experience she was put through , she , despite my trying to do catch up on the events that occurred in 2020 , has my sympathy . To be questioned or investigated is part of natural justice which allows both sides of any issue to be heard .Tenets of fairness however , and judicial rights for those in the professions and even the ordinary individual should prevail transcending colour or gender.

      Reply

  7. | george melvin

    How did anyone know she had this image on her phone ? how did it all come to light ? Had they been looking to get rid of her for a while ? was she incompetent and this was the perfect excuse? I would think the last thing they would want to do is sack a poster perfect black female success story. There was definitely more to it

    Reply

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