Met Police officer asked teenage girls out, court hears

A Met Police officer arranged to meet a 15-year-old girl in a park where he put his arm round her, a court has heard.

PC Adnan Arib, 45, is accused of two counts of misconduct in public office, one in connection with the 15-year-old and another with a second girl aged 16.

The officer, based at Bethnal Green police station in east London, is alleged to have told one she was "very pretty" before inviting her out.

He admits he met them but denies trying to form inappropriate relationships.

PC Arib told the jury at Southwark Crown Court he wanted to help the teenagers and provide them with advice as part of his policing role.

Prosecution barrister Jacqueline Carey said his interactions with the two young women were "wholly inappropriate" and amounted to police misconduct.

She said the uniformed officer was called to the 15-year-old girl's flat by her mother, who had accused her daughter of stealing £10 from her, in July 2019.

PC Arib asked to speak to the youngster in her bedroom, mouthing to her to "say no" when he asked her about the suspected theft, said Ms Carey.

He then asked her to write her name, phone number and email address on a piece of paper, the girl said in a filmed police interview played in court.

"He asked me to meet after school," she said.

"He asked if I wanted to meet in the park and I said, 'Yeah'. He said to not tell anyone, not tell my mum he's going to meet me."

The court heard PC Arib accessed information about the girl on the police computer before sending her a text message which read: "It was nice to meet you this morning. Are we still meeting this afternoon?"

"I thought it was dodgy the way he was texting me," she said.

PC Arib had changed out of his police uniform into jeans and a pink top when she arrived at the park wearing her school uniform, the jury heard.

"I think he put his arm around me. He started asking me if I had a boyfriend and if he makes me happy."

PC Arib allegedly said he wanted to be friends because "there was stuff he wanted to show me", the teenager said, adding: "I'm pretty sure he mentioned drinks as well."

Ms Carey described the alleged conversation as "totally and utterly inappropriate".

"The prosecution say this officer was tasked to investigate the suspected theft of a small amount of money," she said.

"Not only did he fail to investigate it but he used it to engineer a meeting with a 15-year-old girl.

"His conduct does betray the public trust and there can be no reasonable excuse or justification for that behaviour."

The other complainant was picked up by police after she was reported missing on 1 April 2019, the court heard.

Ms Carey said she "began to feel uncomfortable and a bit weird" when PC Arib started asking her about her personal life in the police station.

He allegedly asked for her phone number and if she was in a relationship, told her he wanted to take her out and when she asked why, he said because she was "very pretty", the court heard.

PC Arib allegedly accessed a police report about her and officers later found 47 text messages had been sent between them on a phone he had initially tried to deny was his, the court heard.

He said in a prepared statement he "may have been naive but was only trying to help", the court heard.

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