A bodyguard of the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has been arrested and suspended over allegedly placing bets on the timing of election day.
The police immediately referred the case to its Directorate of Professional Standards, which started an investigation and removed the officer from duty. The bodyguard was arrested on suspicion of betting and misconduct in public office. He was immediately taken into custody and later released on bail pending further inquiries.
A police spokesperson (name withheld) confirmed the arrest and mentioned that the matter has also been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
The Gambling Commission continues to lead the investigation into the alleged betting offences.
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In his words, he said, “We can confirm that on Friday, 14 June, the Met were contacted by the Gambling Commission, who informed us that they were investigating alleged bets made by a police constable from the Met’s Royalty and Specialist Protection Command, which were related to the timing of the General Election.
“The matter was immediately referred to officers in the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards, who opened an investigation, and the officer was also removed from operational duties.
“The officer was subsequently arrested on Monday, 17 June, on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was taken into custody and bailed pending further enquiries. The matter has also been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper called for a cabinet office inquiry, describing the situation as another issue at the heart of the government and demanding transparency about it all.
