Overview
- The misconduct panel concluded that, while off duty at a London pub in early 2025, former constable Michael Needham told a female colleague he would "rape" and "annihilate" her and later said "I hope you get Wayne Couzened."
- It found the allegations proven on the balance of probabilities and said his conduct was abusive and likely to damage public confidence in the Metropolitan Police.
- The panel ruled he would have been dismissed if still serving and ordered his name added to the College of Policing barred list, which blocks future police employment.
- Needham consistently denied using the words, other colleagues present did not report hearing them, and a separate criminal investigation resulted in no further action.
- The remark referenced Wayne Couzens, the Met officer jailed for the 2021 abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard, a link that heightens concern about gendered threats from police officers.