The blunder that uncovered ugly face of policing
THE disturbing messages and videos on PC Edward Bengree’s phone came to light only because of a blunder in an unrelated court case.
Surrey businessman Clive Steer, who did not know the Met officer, was charged with bribery in 2016.
The 39-year-old, who ran a printing business in Guildford, was accused of paying bribes of £200 and £250 to an employee at Surrey Sports Park in order to obtain printing contracts.
He told officers that emails on his computer, which had been seized by police, would prove the payments were legitimate – but his lawyers were refused access to the laptop until a new prosecutor took the case. The investigating officer, Detective Constable Russell Cannon, then mistakenly gave Mr Steer’s lawyer a police report on the contents of Mr Bengree’s phone.
It is believed the content came from the laptop of Roscoe Brown – the man Mr Steer was accused of bribing – who is understood to be a friend of Mr Bengree, though it is not known how he came to have the officer’s phone.
The case against Mr Steer collapsed on January 5 at Guildford Crown Court, after it emerged that police had filed the wrong material.
The judge described the case as ‘absolute nonsense’ while officers have still been unable to provide the businessman’s laptop which proved his innocence. Yesterday Mr Steer said: ‘The way that Surrey Police have operated is scandalous. ‘When I was presented with a copy of what I was told was my hard drive, I nearly fell off my chair.
‘There were disgusting messages about police raping victims they were supposed to be protecting, videos of people in custody.
‘I had nothing to do with this officer, I don’t know who he is – it is insane.’
Surrey Police said the material had been passed to the Met to investigate after the case collapsed. The force said an investigation into the errors was under way.