Met Police officer sacked for harassment after sending ex 80 texts and threatening to kill her pets

Westminster Magistrates Court stock
-Credit: (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)


A Met Police officer who threatened to kill his ex-partner's animals has been sacked after he was convicted of harassment. PC Gary Chant was found guilty of harassment without violence at Westminster Magistrates' Court on August 20 this year. After a misconduct hearing on Friday (September 20), he was dismissed from the Met without notice.

The case followed the end of his relationship with a woman in October 2023, when she moved out of their joint address. In November, Chant sent her 80 messages, calling her a thief, telling her to drop his stuff off, and saying that she was 'childish', 'untrustworthy', 'worse than his ex-wife', and 'no better than the people he deals with in custody'.

She sent him five messages to say she was busy with work, but he ignored her and so she blocked him. The tribunal heard he also sent a message threatening to kill her pets in September, and made allegations of theft against her to Kent Police in October. He was arrested in November after she reported the numerous messages.

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Sign outside New Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard has released a statement -Credit:PA Wire/PA Images

Chant broadly accepted his conduct but disputed it was harassment. He said the messages about the animals was 'off-hand', he denied watching her at work, and continued to claim she had stolen his property. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said it was possible to go behind a criminal conviction in rare circumstances, but this was not one of them.

'Disturbing' messages sent whilst he was on duty

"I conclude that PC Chant did indeed harass [the complainant]," he wrote, adding: "Messages of a disturbing nature and in significant quantity were sent over a prolonged period of time. PC Chant sent these whilst on duty, and was also observing [the complainant] at her place of work. These actions can only serve to damage the reputation of the MPS and impacts public confidence in the Service."

Deciding the punishment, AC Taylor said: "I have considered these options, however with the seriousness of the misconduct found, and the fact that it was of a criminal nature, means that I do not consider any sanction less than dismissal without notice would be justified.

"It is entirely unacceptable for police officers who are responsible for enforcing the law, to break the law themselves. Doing so undermines public trust and confidence in policing as well as the reputation of the MPS. The public could not have confidence in PC Chant to protect them or others. Nor would they have confidence in the Metropolitan Police Service if it appeared not to take law breaking by police officers extremely seriously."

After his conviction, Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah leading the Met’s Central West Command said: “We expect a high standard of behaviour from our officers. That standard was not met by PC Chant – his actions, in harassing the victim, were wholly unacceptable and we took appropriate action.

“We are committed to combatting crimes against women and girls. Predatory, or abusive behaviour from men is unacceptable and will be dealt with whether outside or inside the Met. As a result of this outcome at court, misconduct proceedings will now follow.”

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