Detective chief inspector Chris Soole sent more than 1,000 personal, intimate, and sexually explicit messages to two female officers between May and November of last year, using a phone issued by the Metropolitan Police. A misconduct hearing revealed a consistent pattern of arranging in-person meetings within police buildings, emphasizing privacy and the avoidance of interruptions.
Soole, who previously served in the Met's homicide and major crime command and gangs team, accepted the allegations but contended the interactions were consensual. He used his Met-issued phone to organize meetings at Holborn and Kentish Town police stations. In one message, he stated, "Haha 360 would show Holborn police station, so that ties in with a quick meeting," potentially referencing a live location-sharing app.
Messages between Soole and one female officer included him stating, "I'm limited in what I can say on your job phone concerning things I'd like to do," followed by, "Promise your door locks?" Another exchange involved explicit messages sent within a ten-minute span. On one occasion, he texted, "Actually 12th is better as it's in complete darkness," and in November, "I'm very keen to allow things I've wanted to before but couldn't."
A misconduct report found that Soole exchanged 715 messages of a personal, inappropriate, or sexual nature with one officer and 300 with another, which included arranging separate sexual encounters. The report concluded that Soole's behavior was intentional and deliberate, and that he knew it was wrong. His actions were found to have caused serious harm to the reputation of the police service, with the report stating the public would be appalled by his persistent conduct over a sustained period.
Soole's messages were discovered when he entered an incorrect passcode on his phone too many times, leading him to hand it in for restoration. Although he resigned in June, prior to the investigation, a panel found he would have been dismissed without notice and ordered him to be placed on the College of Policing's barred list.
Detective chief superintendent Ahenkora Bediako of the Met's professionalism command described Soole's messages, often sent while on duty, as appalling. He noted that Soole, in a leadership position, engaged in wholly unacceptable behavior instead of acting as a role model. While Soole resigned before the hearing, Bediako affirmed the importance of laying out the facts and ensuring his placement on the barred list.
A misconduct investigation into the two female officers involved is ongoing.
Soole had worked on significant cases, including the 2019 murder investigation of 14-year-old Jaden Moodie and the July 2024 double acid attack in Camden where two women were targeted.