Former police officer appears in court after ‘corruption’ probe

Muhammed Mustafa Darr is accused of charges including allegedly using dead people’s bank card detail to buy goods.

A general view of Westminster Magistrates’ Court, London (Rick Findler/PA) (PA Archive)

A former Metropolitan Police officer accused of using dead people’s bank card details to buy goods and sell them on has appeared in court following a corruption probe.

Muhammed Mustafa Darr, 37, also allegedly stole a laptop and a bag from a Mercedes belonging to a suspect who had been arrested by his colleagues.

He is further accused of using police computer systems to look up information about himself and others and advising a man to destroy evidence linking him to an investigation.

Darr was charged with three counts of misconduct in a public office and one count of perverting the course of justice between December 2018 and June 2020, while he was a constable on a response unit, after an investigation into alleged corruption.

He pulled a hood over his head and covered his face with a medical mask when he arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, where he spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address in Walthamstow, east London.

Darr, who was based at the Met’s North Area Basic Command Unit, was not asked to enter pleas to any of the charges, which are indictable only, meaning they can only be tried in the Crown Court.

One of the misconduct charges states he is accused of “abusing his position” to acquire credit/debit card details of deceased members of the public”.

Darr allegedly used the details “to acquire or seek to acquire goods or money transfers for himself or others by fraud, and to sell on goods obtained fraudulently”.

Another misconduct charge alleges he used police computer systems to look up information about himself and others “without any legitimate policing purpose”.

The third states he stole “a laptop computer and a bag and its contents” from a Mercedes belonging to a suspect who had been arrested by his colleagues.

Darr also allegedly perverted the course of justice between March 22 2020 and June 6 2020 by using his access to look up the progress of a police investigation linked to Asif Mushtaq.

The charge states Darr then “spoke to Ali Ikram and Asif Mushtaq, advising Asif Mushtaq to conceal or destroy evidence linking him to the investigation”.

District Judge Briony Clarke granted Darr bail ahead of his next appearance at Southwark Crown Court on May 24 on the condition he resides at his home address.

Darr was charged following an investigation carried out by the Met’s directorate of professional standards under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

A file of evidence was then passed to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised criminal charges.