Former senior Met Police cop admitted to supplying drugs while being TV pundit on crime and justice

A FORMER Met Police chief who admitted supplying the chemsex drug GBH and cannabis at the same time as being a TV pundit on crime and policing will today, June 18 2026, be sentenced.

Peter Kirkham, 65, who has been a regular political commentator on Sky News, Channel 4, GB News and the BBC pleaded guilty to two drug supply offences and three possession of controlled drug offences at Kingston Crown Court.

It was ahead of a trial in which he was accused of "sex assaults and coercive behaviour against two vulnerable young gay men," who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Kirkham, from Twickenham, was found not guilty of all charges but it can now be revealed that he admitted to the drug offences last December ahead of the trial.

He admitted to one count of being concerned in the supply of cannabis to others between September 27 and October 30 2024.

He also pleaded guilty to one charge of between the same dates supplying the class B drug Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL), which is stronger than GHB, known on the streets as GBH, and comes with a high risk of overdose.

Kirkham also admitted three counts of possession of class A drugs between the same dates, including MDMA, cocaine and Methylamphetamine Hydrochloride, known as crystal meth, and possession of class B ketamine.

During the trial, Kirkham admitted to the jury that he had sometimes taken the various drugs during 'chem sex' sessions after meeting men for hookups on the dating app Grindr.

He told the jury he was a 'promiscuous' user of the app, enjoying sex with other men, and sometimes threesomes, but that every single encounter he had in his life has been consensual.

The court heard that after meeting the two men, he offered them drugs and accommodation at his Twickenham home.

One of them was aged 18 at the time he first met him, while the other was in his 30s.

Kirkham was charged with three sexual assault offences against the older man who he met in 2024, including carrying out a sex act on him while he was asleep.

He was also charged with exploiting the same man through controlling/coercive behaviour between April 21 and June 6 2025.

He faced the same coercion charges in respect of the younger man, with allegations he used the alleged victim's drug dependency to exploit him between August 1 2023 and May 31 2025.

He was also charged with raping the second man on at least ten occasions between the same dates, by exchanging drugs for the sex acts while knowing he was dependent on them and not consenting.

The court heard that Kirkham served for 21 years with the Met Police rising to the rank of Detective Chief Inspector before returning in 2002 with a decorated and unblemished career.

He went on to set up a security management and policing consultancy company and become a regular TV pundit, who has given views on crime, policing and its politics to national newspapers and broadcasters.

Prosecuting Mark Fenhalls, KC, said: "Subsequent to retiring he appeared on various media outlets providing 'expert’ comment on various stories that appeared in the news."

But, Mr Fenhalls said that from at least 2022 Kirkham had associated with "vulnerable young men".

Kirkham said that he had consensual sex with both men at different times and had not been in a relationship with either of them and they were just friends he had tried to help out who sometimes had sex.

Under cross examination, Kirkham said he left the force after being commended several times because he had achieved all he had wanted to from the job.

He said he had been a drinker while on the force but in later years, virtually gave up alcohol, before discovering the use of some recreational drugs during sex after using Grindr.

His profile said he was open to "hook ups" with men who engaged in chem sex, detailing to the court the effects of certain drugs such as MDMA, crystal meth, GBH, cocaine and cannabis.

He said: "I'm ashamed to say I am promiscuous... I would usually meet just one person. Later, if they wanted, there could be a threesome... but it is always consensual. I have never had sex with anyone without consent in my life. I have never had any sex with anyone who has been asleep.

"They were not financially dependent, I was never coercive."

Kirkham said he was gobsmacked when he learned of the allegations and that the younger man had left his address on good terms before he never saw him again.

Defending him, Charles Digby, said there had been a conversation between one police officer and the older victim when he had said sex had been consensual.

Kirkham was found not guilty of all of the sex abuse and coercion charges by the jury.

He is due to be sentenced for the drug offences at the same court later today.