A serving police community support officer has appeared in the dock after he was allegedly caught performing a sex act in a London park.
PCSO Kevin Phillips, who serves with the Met Police’s Roads and Transport Policing Command, was recorded by a passer-by as he reportedly pleasured himself on a park bench in broad daylight.
After footage of the allegation emerged on Twitter, the Met Police launched an investigation.
It was announced this morning that the officer has been charged with outraging public decency.
The clip, which was filmed in Croydon, South London, appears to show a man in uniform holding a mobile phone horizontally in one hand while his other hand moves to his trousers.
After being confronted by the cameraman, the officer was filmed leaving the park without speaking.
PCSO Phillips appeared from custody at Croydon Magistrates’ Court today.
A spokesperson from the Met Police said: “The charge relates to a video which was circulated online and came to the attention of police shortly before 11.30pm on Wednesday, March 30.
“The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards is leading this investigation and the PCSO has been suspended from duty.”
Speaking before the officer was charged, Commander Kyle Gordon, who is in charge of the Roads and Transport Policing Command, said cops began investigating “immediately”.
“I would like to reassure everyone that we are working as fast as we possibly can to identify the full circumstances of what took place,” he said.
“As soon as we became aware of the video just before midnight we acted immediately.”
A referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
