Disgraced sex pest police officer hired by London council after 'dishonest' reference

Dean Percival provided a glowing reference for the officer who was sacked for sexual misconduct
Stock image of British Transport Police officers
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Josh Salisbury30 April 2024

A disgraced sex pest police officer was hired by a south London council after his colleague provided a glowing reference for him.

Detective Inspector Dean Percival was sacked without notice by the British Transport Police on Monday after covering for former Chief Inspector Paul Crouch in a reference, which led to him being hired by Merton Council.

Crouch was fired from the force in 2022 after telling colleagues he was aroused by the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl, and keeping a list of female colleagues he found attractive.

He also sexually harassed a female colleague for a decade, “smelling her hair and rubbing his thighs in her presence”, and made sexist and discriminatory comments.

Despite that, Percival completed a reference without permission under his official title and rank to help Crouch obtain a job at the local authority - omitting Crouch’s “sexualised and discriminatory” misconduct.

A misconduct panel heard how Percival had been completely aware of Crouch’s actions, as he had helped represent him as a member of the Police Federation.

Merton Council hired Paul Crouch after misleading reference provided by British Transport Police colleague
Geograph

In a ruling published on Monday, the panel found the reference was “dishonest, intended to mislead” and aimed at presenting Crouch “in the best possible light”.

In mitigation, Percival told the hearing he believed he was providing a character reference in a personal capacity, and that he did not think it was dishonest.

The hearing was told that Percival and Crouch were close, having joined the British Transport Police on the same intake course in December 2004.

The panel ruled: “His misguided loyalty to his former colleague may have been a factor in his decision making but that did not excuse, in any way, his choice to act dishonestly in the way in which he did when completing the reference.”

It decided the misconduct was so serious, Percival should be dismissed without notice, despite his nearly two decades of “impressive” service.

According to his LinkedIn page, DI Percival worked within the force’s Major, Serious and Organised crime team.

The wrongdoing was raised to the British Transport Police by Merton Council’s Interim Assistant Director of Public Protection, who became aware after Crouch’s hiring that he had been fired from the police for gross misconduct.

Merton Council has been contacted for comment.

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