IOPC orders Met Police to reinvestigate Graham Linehan's complaint over Heathrow arrest

Right · 2The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has ordered the Metropolitan Police to reinvestigate a complaint by Graham Linehan, the Father Ted creator, about the handling of Linehan's arrest at Heathrow Airport in 2025. 1 2 Right · 1GB News reports that Linehan was arrested in September 2025 over gender-critical social media posts, which had been shared six months earlier and reported to police by Lynsay Watson, a transgender former police officer. Watson accused Linehan of a "hate crime" and "inciting violence". 1 Right · 1Hot Air says Linehan was met by five armed officers, and that the treatment caused a panic attack and a spike in blood pressure that led to a hospital visit. It also says Prime Minister Keir Starmer made clear within days that he did not support the arrest. 2

Right · 2The Met's internal review concluded that the arrest was lawful but that aspects of the investigation were "flawed and misunderstood". It found officers wrongly focused on the anti-transgender element of the remarks rather than the alleged incitement to violence, and said the investigation was affected by an inexperienced, overworked trainee detective and poor supervision. 1 2 Right · 2The Met called the detention "unacceptable", issued an unreserved apology and agreed to pay £25,000 in compensation. Hot Air adds that the payment followed a civil claim and that no officers were disciplined. 1 2 Right · 1Linehan complained to the IOPC that the arrest was unlawful and breached the right to freedom of expression under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. 1

Right · 1The IOPC found that the Met's review "did not go far enough" and that its findings were "not reasonable and proportionate". It said the review did not adequately explain why Linehan was detained. 1 Right · 2The IOPC pointed to a legal ruling that anti-trans views could be a "protected characteristic". According to findings seen by The Telegraph, if the force cannot establish a sound rationale for the legality of the arrest, the application of Article 10 and the bail conditions, there "may be sufficient evidence" that Linehan received unfair treatment, including in interview, because of a potential protected characteristic. 1 2 Right · 2Linehan said the complainant had "made scores of spurious claims" and that "the only possible reason the Met acted in the extreme way they did was political bias". Linehan also said the Met's attempt to "cover this up" was further evidence of a "two-tier approach" to policing this debate. These are Linehan's claims; the coverage does not show a response from the Met or the complainant to them. 1 2

Right · 1A Met spokesman said: "We will be reviewing the IOPC's decision and reopening the complaint." 1