Met Police sergeant, 49, told a West End club to use security firm who was ... trends now

A Met Police sargeant came across 'heavy-handed' in a meeting where he told a West End club to use an 'entirely unsuitable' security firm whose boss was paying him bribes, a court heard.

Frank Partridge, 49, told Sketch venue lawyer Thomas O’Maoileoin that he should use West End nightclub security firm TSS to deal with problems with fights, it is claimed.

Mr Partridge was responsible for licences in the West End between 2013 and 2015 and accepted bespoke suits and shirts paid for by TSS, jurors heard.

Mr O’Maoileoin told the court Mr Partridge 'wanted to put down a marker as to who was in charge' in a meeting about security concerns with him and the CEO of Sketch, Sinead Mallozi on 4 February 2014. 

There had been two altercations at Sketch in July 2013 and five months later on New Year’s Eve.

The July incident involved a fight between two women with one of them hitting the other with a glass.

Mr O’Maoileoin said: ‘These meetings are usually discussed in a way that is not informal, but more as an opportunity for parties to discuss matters in a roundtable fashion.

‘What happened seemed to me more like a naughty schoolboy being told off by a headmaster.

‘I was surprised. I thought he appeared quite heavy-handed and that wasn’t something I had experienced.

‘He came across as an officer new to the role in terms of licensing and wanted to put down a marker as to who was in charge. It was very much my way or the highway.

‘It was unusual. The police are usually in very close partnership with licensed venues.’