Hussain Chehab

A serving Metropolitan Police officer, PC Hussain Chehab, who was assigned as a safer schools officer at a secondary school in north London, has pleaded guilty to a series of serious child sex offences. The case, which came to light through concerns raised by a victim's family, highlights significant failures in the vetting and oversight processes within the force.

Chehab appeared at Wood Green Crown Court on 24 January 2023, where he admitted to four counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15, three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, and one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child. Some of these offences occurred between March and September 2019, prior to Chehab joining the Metropolitan Police in 2020, while others took place during his tenure as an officer. The Metropolitan Police stated there was no evidence linking the offences directly to his role at the school.

The investigation began in August 2021 when the family of a 16-year-old girl reported concerns to the police about her relationship with Chehab, which they believed had started when she was 15. Following his arrest, Chehab was suspended from duties in October 2021. Searches of his digital devices revealed a number of indecent images and evidence of sexual communications with a 14-year-old girl. Met Commissioner Mark Rowley apologised to the victims, describing the activities as 'what could broadly be described as grooming activity' that occurred while Chehab was serving in the force.

Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline Haines, who leads policing in Enfield where Chehab was posted, described the offences as 'more sickening' due to their occurrence while he was working at a secondary school. She noted that no concerns were raised about Chehab during the recruitment process or subsequent vetting for school duties. The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that Chehab will be sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on 17 March 2023.

This case has drawn attention to the vulnerabilities in safeguarding children within educational environments and the responsibilities of law enforcement officers. The full details emerged from court proceedings and official statements by the Metropolitan Police, as reported in the Morning Star on 25 January 2023.