Scotland Yard faces a major corruption scandal, with police officers under suspicion of taking bribes from security firms working for bars and strip clubs across the West End, BuzzFeed News can reveal.



Sergeant Frank Partridge, dubbed “the Sheriff” of Soho, and Constable Jim Sollars, nicknamed “the Gruffalo” for accepting so many free dinners, have both been arrested for conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.

Anti-corruption detectives have also swooped on three security bosses at two firms – one of which promotes itself as official partner of the Metropolitan police in delivering London’s key anti-terrorism strategy.

The two arrested officers work in Scotland Yard’s Westminster licensing unit, which holds vast power over the borough’s clubs and bars because it controls their ability to open late, serve alcohol, and play music.

They are suspected of forming corrupt relationships with two security firms, TSS Security and Profile Protection, and are being investigated over allegations that they accepted improper inducements ranging from free dinners, drinks, and club entries to bundles of cash.

In return, the officers face allegations of putting pressure on Soho’s nightspots to use the firms to supply their bouncers and security. Sources say club owners feared that they could lose their licences if they did not comply, and believed that by hiring TSS or Profile they would get protection from police interference at their venues.

TSS Security, which sits on the steering committee of Project Griffin, the Met’s anti-terror initiative, is central London’s biggest door security firm, holding a near monopoly on the hundreds of venues across the West End. Its managing director, Terry Neil, and its head of operations, Douglas Thompson, himself a former Westminster police officer, were arrested on suspicion of being part of the alleged conspiracy. Hassan Serdoud, owner of Profile Protection, which has emerged as the biggest rival to TSS in the past two years, was also arrested.

All five arrested men deny any wrongdoing. They have not been charged and the allegations against them remain unproven while the investigation is ongoing. They are due to answer police bail at the end of the month.

Anti-corruption detectives raided the offices of the Westminster police licensing unit, both firms, and the home addresses of the men they arrested in June this year. They announced the move as the culmination of a “long running intelligence operation led by our anti-corruption command”. But whistleblowers have raised fears that even if the corruption is proved, the true scale of the problem could be swept under the carpet and only junior officers “hung out to dry”.

Security industry insiders aggrieved at having lost lucrative contracts to TSS and Profile say they suspect the alleged corruption may have reached higher echelons of Scotland Yard and that other public officials could also be involved.

The rival security industry boss who initiated the corruption complaint compiled a document for detectives setting out the allegations that has been seen by BuzzFeed News. It claims that improper relationships exist between public officials and security firms in Camden and Croydon as well as Westminster.

“The licensing teams of the above boroughs have created their preferred security company and those companies dominate ... and the rest of us suffer in terms of gaining a market share,” the letter, drafted by Tony Clarke of the rival firm UK Security Facilities, said. “The Licensing Police of Boroughs are very powerful individuals, because they can ruin people’s businesses.”

BuzzFeed News has investigated the biggest alleged police corruption scandal to sweep Soho since the ‘70s and uncovered secret details of the two-year covert operation that culminated in the recent arrests. Extensive interviews with security industry insiders, sources within Westminster council and the Met’s licensing unit, current and former employees of TSS Security, and West End club owners have revealed how a bitter battle for control of Soho’s nightspots has plunged Scotland Yard into crisis.