Met Police says it will reopen a complaint into how officers handled the arrest of Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan at Heathrow Airport, following findings by the police watchdog.
The watchdog’s review, reported across outlets, concludes that the Met’s handling of the complaint did not meet required standards, leading to an order for reinvestigation. One report also notes that Linehan previously received a settlement connected to the arrest.
Outlets frame the decision around the watchdog’s criticism of the original complaint process, with coverage focusing on the need to reinvestigate the case rather than re-litigate the underlying events immediately. The Met has confirmed the probe will be reopened as directed, while the published accounts differ slightly in emphasis—some highlight “failings” in complaint handling, while others foreground the discrimination aspect of the watchdog’s order.
