Police watchdog orders Met to reinvestigate Graham Linehan discrimination complaint
The Father Ted co-creator received a settlement over his arrest at Heathrow Airport
The Metropolitan Police has been told to re-examine a complaint from Graham Linehan after a police watchdog found that it was handled inadequately.
Mr Linehan, a 58-year-old Irish writer, was arrested at Heathrow Airport in September 2025 after flying in from Arizona.
He was held on suspicion of inciting violence over three posts he made on X.
The Met later apologised to him and paid a settlement after he brought a civil claim.
The IOPC confirmed that Mr Linehan subsequently sought a review of how the force dealt with a complaint about the investigation into him and his treatment by officers.
That application was received in May 2026 and included “an allegation that he was discriminated against due to his gender-critical beliefs”.
“In October, we found the outcome of the complaint was not reasonable and proportionate and directed the Met to reinvestigate a number of the allegations made,” an IOPC spokesperson said.
“We found that, during the complaint investigation, the force failed to provide satisfactory explanations for the grounds for the man’s arrest and failed to pursue lines of inquiry regarding a complaint about the man’s bail conditions.
“We also directed them to reinvestigate the allegation that he was discriminated against.”
The IOPC added: “The man will have a further right of review to the IOPC should he be dissatisfied with the outcome of the force’s reinvestigation.”
Conservative politicians and Harry Potter author JK Rowling had criticised the arrest.
After the furore over the case against Mr Linehan, the Met announced it would stop investigating “non-crime hate incidents”.
Non-crime hate incidents are incidents that do not count as crimes but are perceived to be motivated by hatred towards certain characteristics such as race or gender.
The head of the Met Police had previously said that officers were in an “impossible position” when dealing with statements made online.
A spokesperson said: “The commissioner has been clear he doesn’t believe officers should be policing toxic culture war debates, with current laws and rules on inciting violence online leaving them in an impossible position.
“As a result, the Met will no longer investigate non-crime hate incidents. We believe this will provide clearer direction for officers, reduce ambiguity and enable them to focus on matters that meet the threshold for criminal investigations.”
