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| Metropolitan Police apologise over gay abuse investigation | Metropolitan Police apologise over gay abuse investigation |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A gay man has won a nine-year legal battle with the Metropolitan Police after the force admitted it failed to investigate alleged homophobic abuse. | A gay man has won a nine-year legal battle with the Metropolitan Police after the force admitted it failed to investigate alleged homophobic abuse. |
| David Cary, 54, sued the force for discrimination, claiming it did not properly investigate allegations he was verbally abused by a neighbour in 2007. | David Cary, 54, sued the force for discrimination, claiming it did not properly investigate allegations he was verbally abused by a neighbour in 2007. |
| It amounted to discrimination on the grounds of his sexuality, he claimed. | It amounted to discrimination on the grounds of his sexuality, he claimed. |
| The case was due to be decided in the Court of Appeal, but Scotland Yard has apologised and agreed to compensation. | The case was due to be decided in the Court of Appeal, but Scotland Yard has apologised and agreed to compensation. |
| Mr Cary, from west London, said the Met had "shamelessly dug their heels in for nine years", and the delays amounted to a "travesty of justice and professionalism". | |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said it was a "landmark" legal case. | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said it was a "landmark" legal case. |
| Neighbour's abuse | Neighbour's abuse |
| The case dated back to February 2007, when Mr Cary told police he had been verbally abused by a neighbour as he rode home on his bicycle. | The case dated back to February 2007, when Mr Cary told police he had been verbally abused by a neighbour as he rode home on his bicycle. |
| According to Mr Cary, he was called a "poof" and a "queer". However, officers investigated the report and decided to take no further action. | According to Mr Cary, he was called a "poof" and a "queer". However, officers investigated the report and decided to take no further action. |
| He then lodged a complaint about the way the force had treated his report - which officers dismissed. | He then lodged a complaint about the way the force had treated his report - which officers dismissed. |
| Having appealed to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) twice - and had his complaint rejected on both occasions - Mr Cary began legal action against both the Met and the IPCC in January 2010. | Having appealed to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) twice - and had his complaint rejected on both occasions - Mr Cary began legal action against both the Met and the IPCC in January 2010. |
| The IPCC agreed to settle the case in July 2012, however, the Met continued to defend the claim. | The IPCC agreed to settle the case in July 2012, however, the Met continued to defend the claim. |
| The case was due to be heard in the Court of Appeal on Monday. | The case was due to be heard in the Court of Appeal on Monday. |
| However, Scotland Yard offered to settle the case and issued an apology before the hearing - more than nine years after the original incident. | However, Scotland Yard offered to settle the case and issued an apology before the hearing - more than nine years after the original incident. |
| 'Second class citizen' | 'Second class citizen' |
| The force admitted Mr Cary's original complaint could have been handled "more professionally and sympathetically", saying there had been "shortcomings" in the investigation. | The force admitted Mr Cary's original complaint could have been handled "more professionally and sympathetically", saying there had been "shortcomings" in the investigation. |
| It said the force would "learn and implement" lessons from the case, but added that it had "dramatically changed" how it investigated homophobic crime. | It said the force would "learn and implement" lessons from the case, but added that it had "dramatically changed" how it investigated homophobic crime. |
| However, Mr Cary said the Met had "tolerated" homophobic abuse due to its failure to investigate the allegations. | However, Mr Cary said the Met had "tolerated" homophobic abuse due to its failure to investigate the allegations. |
| "I felt belittled and treated like a second class citizen. I felt they prolonged the case in the hope of wearing me down. | "I felt belittled and treated like a second class citizen. I felt they prolonged the case in the hope of wearing me down. |
| "Without the best legal representation and campaigning support that I had, they might have managed it," he added. | "Without the best legal representation and campaigning support that I had, they might have managed it," he added. |
| Jane Deighton, Mr Cary's solicitor, welcomed the resolution of this case. | Jane Deighton, Mr Cary's solicitor, welcomed the resolution of this case. |
| She called for an end to "knee-jerk reaction into defensive mode when civilians bring police misconduct to the attention of the service". | She called for an end to "knee-jerk reaction into defensive mode when civilians bring police misconduct to the attention of the service". |