July 18th 2023.
Frank Partridge, known as 'The Sheriff of Soho', has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for bribery. The former Met Police sergeant was found guilty of four counts of bribery and cleared of a further count of bribery by a jury on July 12.
Southwark Crown Court heard that while employed in the Westminster Licensing Unit between 2013 and 2015, Partridge had taken bribes worth thousands of pounds. These included a luxury family holiday to Morocco, tickets to exclusive events, and renovation work to his home.
Partridge was described by the prosecution as having formed an 'unprofessional and inappropriately close' relationship with people linked to West End nightclubs and security firms. A video of him being whipped by a dominatrix dressed as Catwoman was found on the phone of one of the club owners.
Partridge's defense lawyer, Patrick Gibbs KC, said that the former sergeant had become 'bedazzled by the glitz and glamour of this lifestyle'. He also noted the six and a half year delay between his arrest and charge, and how Partridge will now lose his police pension apart from his own contributions.
Judge Christopher Hehir said that Partridge had 'rapidly descended into wholesale corruption, dishonesty and complete disregard of [his] obligations as a police officer'. He also noted that Partridge had used the services of an escort, despite denying it.
Partridge's co-defendants, who were found guilty of bribery, will be sentenced on September 21. Partridge, on the other hand, will serve half his sentence before being released on licence. After he was sentenced, Partridge blew a kiss to the public gallery before being taken away.
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