A Met PC with a drinking problem who declared “I am the police” after crashing his sports car into a wall has been sacked.
PC Leo Steeden lost control of his MGF on a bend and collided with the boundary wall of a couple’s home in Newington, in Kent.
One eyewitness claimed Steeden was “pissed as a pudding” after the crash, as he flashed his warrant card, identified himself as a police officer, and promised to pay for the damage.
Steeden initially remained at the scene, before going to a local shop to buy and drink a small bottle of wine and a beer.
The PC failed a subsequent breathaliser test, and officers called to the scene found empty vodka miniatures and an empty bottle of wine in the car.
A misconduct panel has now concluded Steeden had been drinking prior to the crash, and attempted to hide his condition with alcohol afterwards because he knew he would be breathalised.
“To put members of the public at risk by driving with excess alcohol was grossly irresponsible”, said panel chair Christopher McKay.
“The fact that only a wall was demolished when PC Steeden crashed was relatively fortunate. The outcome could have been much worse.
“He then compounded his misconduct by trying to cover-up the fact that he had been drinking before the accident by showing his warrant card to members of the public and telling them he was a police officer to discourage them from calling the local police before drinking further alcohol to prevent it being proved that he was over the limit at the time of the accident.”
The hearing was told Steeden was offered a cup of tea after the crash, but instead he suggested a drink at the pub. When he was told this was inappropriate and they should wait for the police, Steeden replied: “I am the police and it’s OK after an accident.”
The incident happened on August 8, 2022, three days he had told his boss at work that he had a alcohol problem.
Steeden, who was not wearing shoes, rang the couple’s doorbell after the crash and promised to fix the damage, repeating several times that he is a police officer.
A builder, who was called out to fix the wall, suggested Steeden was “pissed as a pudding”.
Officers who came to the scene eventually found Steeden sitting on the steps of a nearby Nisa shop, smoking a cigarette and holding an open bottle of beer.
He claimed to have only drunk a glass of wine before drinking, and suggested he may have fallen asleep in the moments before the crash or been affected by the Covid vaccination he had earlier in the day.
Steeden, a police officer in the Met since 2002 who was awarded a commendation for his actions after the Westminster Bridge terror attack, was “nonchalant” after the crash, trying to make light of the incident, the hearing was told.
“He was well aware of the significance of having a post-accident drink”, the panel found.
“He was aware that it could make it difficult to prove whether he had been driving with excess alcohol at the time of the accident.”
The panel found it was “likely” was over the drink driving limit, and he was found guilty of gross misconduct.
Steeden was dismissed without notice, and his name will now be added to the College of Policing barred list.
