A rookie police officer arrested in east London on suspicion of possessing drugs had lied on his vetting form when joining the Met about his connections, a misconduct hearing has ruled.

Trainee Pc Numan Ahmed would have been dismissed without notice if he hadn’t resigned, the hearing said.

It said Ahmed, who had been training with the Met’s Central East command covering Tower Hamlets and Hackney, failed to declare known criminal associates when he was being vetted.

He answered the allegations at a hearing on September 22, but the findings against him this week ruled he breached professional standards for honesty and integrity which was deemed to be “discreditable conduct”.

%image(14914514, type="article-full", alt="Ahmed "tried using his position as trainee police officer”")

Ahmed had failed to amend or update "false declarations” and was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply while in the company of known criminals on July 8, 2019, according to Scotland Yard.

It was then alleged that he tried “using his position as a trainee police officer to get out of the situation”. Following an investigation after the arrest no further action was taken.

At September's hearing, the allegations were proven as “gross misconduct”. Ahmed, who resigned in March 2020, would have been dismissed had he still been a serving officer.