A corrupt police officer known as the “Sheriff of Soho”, who cavorted with call girls and was bribed with lavish gifts to turn a blind eye to crime, is facing jail.
Frank Partridge, 50, was handed a free $13,000 holiday, fine dining, and hotel stays. He even had his house renovated in exchange for ignoring violent brawls and sexual assault in some of London’s most exclusive celebrity haunts.
The shamed Scotland Yard sergeant enjoyed tickets to Premier League football matches, music gigs and a $5700 pass to a charity party at Elton John’s Berkshire home as part of a string of perks to ensure he remained “in the pocket” of West End club bosses.
When he was eventually arrested, officers found a compromising video of Partridge being whipped by a dominatrix dressed as Cat Woman in Cirque le Soir, a decadent A-list venue in Soho known for its celebrity clientele ranging from Benedict Cumberbatch to Nicole Scherzinger.
Partridge, who was in charge of policing 3,000 clubs, bars and restaurants, was pictured with a leash around his neck and wearing cat ears as the woman gyrated around the laughing sergeant.
The officer, nicknamed “Fun Time Frankie” by former colleagues, was seen with a large snake draped around his neck, miming the hip-hop anthem Sound of Da Police. The photographs showed his shameless activities, including accepting escort services as payment for downplaying suspected criminality at nightclubs, including two rape allegations.
Yesterday, Partridge was convicted of bribery after a three-month trial at Southwark Crown Court. But Scotland Yard faced questions about why it took a decade to bring him to justice after an investigation began in 2013 when he joined the licensing unit.
Partridge continued to work for the force until 2016, when he was sacked for abusing a travel scheme by sitting in first-class carriages on trains.
Police then discovered he had been living an extraordinary lifestyle, being chauffeured to internationally acclaimed restaurants, dressing in hand-tailored suits and enjoying free tickets to the rap and hip-hop Wireless Festival and a Metallica concert despite his low pay as a sergeant.
His job was to consult with the local authority on licensing, which meant he had a say on venues’ applications and had the power to close a nightclub. On one occasion, Partridge was tasked with reviewing the licence for Dstrkt nightclub after a “shocking list” of sexual assaults allegedly occurred.
Owner Anna Ginandes booked a holiday for Partridge and his family in Morocco. They treated him and his wife to a $730 meal at the Sumosan Japanese restaurant in Mayfair, telling the manager to treat him as a “VIP guest”.
On another occasion, when fights erupted at Sketch nightclub, Partridge recommended a security firm, who repaid him in bespoke suits and a ticket to the Elton John charity bash. Yesterday Ginandes, 46, and Ryan Bishti, 43, the founder of Cirque le Soir, were also convicted of bribery.
Commander James Harman of the Metropolitan Police’s anticorruption and abuse command said following the verdict: “Frank Partridge has been motivated by greed and self-interest.
“He has accepted bribes that he has allowed to influence how he does his duty — that is corruption, and that is why we are pleased to see the verdict today.” Partridge will be sentenced next week.
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