Top cop behind Met’s anti-drug strategy ‘smoked weed before breakfast every day’

A POLICE chief who drew up the Met’s anti-drug strategy smoked weed every day before breakfast, a panel heard.

Commander Julian Bennett would be using cannabis as he walked out of the bathroom in the morning, his former flatmate alleged.

His drug habit was so bad that Sheila Gomes — a senior hospital nurse who paid £640 a month to rent a spare room — could not hang out her washing to dry.

She alleged he was addicted to the drug and acted aggressively when he tried to give it up.

Ms Gomes told the panel: “There was daily cannabis smoking, which was very annoying to me. Daily, daily.”

“The moment he was leaving his bathroom he was already coming out with the cannabis. He was very addicted.”

Cmdr Bennett is accused of gross misconduct for smoking cannabis and taking LSD and magic mushrooms on a holiday in France.

He is also accused of refusing to take a drug test and lying about why.

The officer said he took legal cannabidiol to ease his facial palsy.

Central to the case against him is a photo Ms Gomes took of a bag of cannabis.

Cmdr Bennett denies the claims and the case continues.