Son of jailed former Met Police commander speaks out

A KU student describes his father’s corruption trial as a “witch-hunt” that “never stopped”.

Kristina Boudylina

A KU law student has defended his father, former Metropolitan Police Commander Ali Dizaei, who was jailed for corruption in February.

The jury found the 50-year-old Scotland Yard commander guilty for the second time in a retrial and sentenced Dizaei to three years in prison on February 13 2012. 

“Out to get him”

His son Kourosh, a third-year law student at Kingston, told The River: “The Met were always out to get him. I think it can be best illustrated by the fact they spent over £7m in 2001-2003 just trying to get him convicted. Despite the fact he was entirely innocent, the witch-hunt never stopped.”

Iranian-born Dizaei who was jailed for misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice was released from prison on the condition he wore an electronic tag last May.

He was recently denied an appeal for his conviction that ended his policing career. The court of appeal upheld the jury’s decision that he had framed businessman Waad al-Baghdadi, in a row over money.

Dizaei is one of the highest-ranking police officers ever to face criminal charges. He was suspended from his £90,000-a-year job in February 2012.

Media criticism

Kourosh, 21, was in college when his father was convicted of framing Mr Baghdadi.

He said: “I was shocked at his conviction and the media lynching my father received. The way the press distorted the case throughout and after the trial was shocking enough on its own. Couple that with my dad, who is a Commander in the Met being led away from the court in custody, it was difficult.”

Kourosh had no problem with the extra attention he received as long as people did not antagonise him about his family. He openly criticised the media for altering the public’s opinion about his father.

“With the media lynching that my father has received in this country, despite the fact he has sued them all for their nonsensical and bogus articles, no jury will be able to walk into a courtroom without preconceived ideas about him,” he said.

Motivation to work harder

Influenced by his father to study law from a young age, Kourosh used the “terrible experience” as a motivator to work hard in college to enter Kingston’s law school.

Talking about the university’s support, Kourosh said: “The University itself hasn’t ever come forward to speak to me about the situation, although lecturers have always been understanding when I have not been able to attend university when I was in court etc.”

3,400 followers

Kourosh set up a Facebook page for his father “The Official Ali Dizaei Support Page” which now has 3,400 followers, receiving an “overwhelming” amount of support.

“The page was used to voice the truth about the miscarriage of justice regarding my father, but we also used it as a way for people to write supportive messages to my dad,” said Kourosh.