A Metropolitan Police officer, Ex-Sergeant Frank Partridge, recently admitted to accepting gifts, including Metallica tickets, while working with the Westminster Licensing Unit between 2013-2015. Here’s what Patridge said to Southwark Crown Court about receiving gifts from ‘friends’:
“I had made myself confident I could accept those gifts because there was nothing in it at all. I accept now, wrongly, at the time I accepted gifts, but at the time, I had convinced myself it was OK because my performance was not improper. There was no way I would do anything, and they all knew that as well.”
When accused by prosecutors of being bribed by club owners and security bosses because they wanted Partridge ‘in their pocket,’ he replied:
“No, absolutely not. My work was always impartial. At the time, I didn’t think anything of it and didn’t think I was doing anything wrong. Now I can see how it looks, and I shouldn’t have accepted those gifts because of my position.”
These supposed gifts from friends included Metallica tickets for his mother-in-law’s 60th birthday, a luxury trip to Morocco, a trip to watch Manchester United and money for renovation work for his home. As of now, Partridge has admitted to three bribery charges but denied five further counts; however, his extensive trial still continues.
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