A married Metropolitan Police officer who employed a false identity to manipulate a television presenter into what has been described as an 'abusive' and coercive relationship has been found guilty of gross misconduct. The officer, Ian Steel, who is no longer serving, would have been dismissed from the force had he not already resigned prior to the hearing.
The Deceptive Encounter and Relationship
Jackie Adedeji, a 32-year-old professional who has worked on projects for the BBC and Channel 4, was just 22 years old when she met PC Ian Steel, then 38, during a night out in Shoreditch in June 2016. Shortly after graduating from university, Ms Adedeji encountered Steel by chance. He introduced himself using the fake name 'Dan' and falsely claimed to be an undercover police officer, insisting on obtaining her telephone number.
Throughout their relationship, which lasted more than two years, Steel concealed his true identity and failed to disclose that he had a long-term partner and a son. Ms Adedeji testified at the gross misconduct hearing this week, detailing how Steel abused his position as a police officer to 'groom and manipulate' her into a sexual relationship. She described being used 'to fulfil his racialised sexual fantasy' and subjected to a pattern of abuse and coercive control.
Pattern of Manipulative and Coercive Behaviour
The hearing revealed a disturbing pattern of manipulative behaviour by Steel. Ms Adedeji recounted how, on their first date, he instructed her to duck and hide in his car, refusing to take photographs with her. He frequently confiscated her phone to delete all messages between them and persistently texted her to monitor her whereabouts. Steel would interrogate her about what she had told friends and family, urging her to stop listening to them.
Ms Adedeji stated that Steel referred to her as 'the black girl' among friends and gave her the nickname 'Diamond', a reference to a porn star. The relationship became 'really coercive and sexually exploitative,' she said. 'He stripped me of my innocence and preyed on my naivety. He took advantage of me.' Steel constantly requested naked photographs, leveraging his role as a police officer to gain trust, and arranged meetings out of sight of CCTV cameras to perform sex acts while on duty.
She added, 'He was very manipulative, our relationship was very confusing. If I ever asked to see his police ID he'd refuse and make out I was a "firecracker" who "had a temper". I was scared. He was making me feel like what he wanted me to do was what I wanted too.' Ms Adedeji attempted to leave the relationship multiple times, but Steel always found a way to reconcile.
Misconduct Hearing and Findings
The misconduct panel, convened by City of London Police after Steel transferred from the Met in 2022, found all allegations against him proven. This included engaging in sexual activity while on shift, which Steel denied. The panel determined that his actions constituted gross misconduct, with behaviour falling far below the standards expected of police officers.
Ms Adedeji first reported Steel's behaviour to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in November 2023. Initially, she was told the allegations were difficult to prove due to discrepancies in shift patterns. However, after legal queries over Christmas, police discovered they had been examining the records of the wrong PC Ian Steel, leading to a corrected investigation.
Previous Disciplinary Issues and Aftermath
Steel resigned before a separate disciplinary hearing in 2024, which found him guilty of gross misconduct related to inappropriate text messages sent to a teenage girl he had assisted home from a party in 2010. With her case now concluded, Ms Adedeji expressed relief and a desire to help other women. 'Today is the start of my new life,' she told the Daily Mail. 'I can be free of something that has impacted me for 10 years. It was the biggest fight of my life, and if I had to do it all again I would.'
She emphasised the importance of being believed by the panel: 'They believed me and that was really important. They understand the gravity and the seriousness of what he did.' Ms Adedeji, who waived her right to anonymity, hopes to support other victims of misconduct, stating, 'You’re not just dealing with a force, you’re dealing with a culture. I would love to help other women to get justice. And I'm so excited for my new life.'
Chief Superintendent Sanjay Andersen, head of professionalism and trust for City of London Police, acknowledged the difficulty of the process for Ms Adedeji: 'We also acknowledge how difficult and lengthy this process has been for her, and we are grateful for the courage it took to come forward and see it through. The findings of gross misconduct reflect behaviour that falls far below the standards the public rightly expect from police officers.'
