On April 3, 2024, the article headlined ‘Police chief accused of using taxpayer money to book hotels for sex with female colleagues’ was published on the Sky News website and via the mobile app.
Sky News reported that Simon Crick, a Chief Superintendent in the Metropolitan Police, had committed professional misconduct by using taxpayer money to facilitate sexual encounters with a number of female colleagues and had been removed from active duty while misconduct proceedings were taking place.
These allegations were untrue. Mr Crick had not used taxpayer money to facilitate sexual encounters with female colleagues nor faced misconduct allegations accusing him of doing so.
We also acknowledge that the allegation made in the article suggesting Mr Crick authorised expenses for female colleagues without authority is also untrue.
We also acknowledge Chief Superintendent Crick was not removed from active duty in relation to these matters and neither was he the subject of misconduct proceedings in relation to such allegations.
We recognise the significant impact, both personally and professionally, that the publication of this inaccurate story had on Mr Crick, and also the significant impact on his children and close family.
We apologise unreservedly to Mr Crick and his family for this error.
