Hundreds of UK officers should never have been appointed, says police watchdog

HM inspector of constabulary Matt Parr says entrants include those with links to criminality, and misogynists

Officers with prior convictions and close links with criminals are among hundreds who have joined the police in the last three years who should not have been allowed in, according to the head of the police watchdog.

HM inspector of constabulary Matt Parr also said that there was a real problem with misogyny within the police that had to be tackled, adding that most, if not all, serving female police officers had had to endure sexual assault and inappropriate behaviour from fellow officers. The culture of misogyny within policing is something that is there, it's real and it has absolutely got to be dealt with," he said.