A woman is taking legal action against the Metropolitan Police after a 999 call handler made offensive comments about Sarah Everard and referred to a rape victim as a “slut.”

Issy Vine, 30, is alleging constructive dismissal after the male colleague made a series of inappropriate remarks during a shift and later followed her home.

Ms. Vine, from Wimbledon in southwest London, filed a formal complaint against the call handler, leading to his dismissal for gross misconduct in November 2023.

However, the handler successfully appealed the decision and was reinstated after Met bosses ruled the initial panel had been too “emotional” following the release of Baroness Casey’s damning report, which labeled the force as institutionally racist and misogynistic.

Ms. Vine is now suing the Met, claiming she cannot work alongside the handler. The unnamed staff member allegedly called a rape victim a “slut” while taking her report.

The victim had disclosed that she had become pregnant and contracted an STI as a result of the assault. Ms. Vine recounted that after hearing this, her colleague covered his mouth with his hand and said, “She sounds like a slut.”

In another incident during the same shift, Ms. Vine claims the handler nudged her while she was on a call and said, “Can I be unkind? I have just had a call from an immigrant.” He then showed her his phone, on which he had written, “Why don’t you f*** off back to your own country?”

In a third incident, the handler reportedly referred to Clapham Common as “Sarah Everard turf.” Sarah Everard was abducted from Clapham Common by serving Met officer Wayne Couzens, who later raped and murdered her.

Ms. Vine also alleged that despite telling her he lived in the opposite direction, the colleague followed her onto a bus and the Tube as she made her way home at 11 p.m.

Although the call handler was initially fired following Ms. Vine’s complaint, he was reinstated in March 2024 after an appeal found the dismissal ruling to be “too harsh.”

Ms. Vine subsequently lodged a grievance against the Met but resigned in November, feeling unable to continue working with him.

She is now seeking damages for constructive dismissal, sexual harassment, whistleblowing detriment, and a failure to make reasonable adjustments.

Ms. Vine expressed her disappointment, stating, “I always wanted to join the police to help people, because that is what the police do. I want people to feel safe and secure knowing they can depend on an authority with decent people behind it. But now I worry whether that is actually the case or whether the very people who are being employed to protect us are part of the problem.”

She added, “And even when you try to bring that to light, you are dragged through a flawed and horrendous misconduct process. I thought I was part of an organisation that wanted to stamp out this behaviour, not give second chances to it.” Ms. Vine also revealed that she has lost out on a “life-long career” and now suffers from anxiety.

Commander Jason Prins of the Met responded to the allegations, stating, “These discriminatory comments were entirely unacceptable, which is why this matter was brought to a misconduct hearing. We take the former staff member’s concerns about the outcome of the misconduct process extremely seriously and it has been subject to a thorough review.”

No date has yet been set for the hearing. The case highlights ongoing concerns about the culture within the Met Police and its handling of misconduct allegations.

Iga Swiatek’s semifinal loss to Mirra Andreeva at the 2025 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells was filled with drama.

The defending champion saw her title defense come to an abrupt end on Friday, March 14, as the 17-year-old Andreeva staged a stunning upset.

Swiatek, who had previously claimed the Indian Wells title in 2022 and 2024, had looked dominant throughout the tournament, securing convincing wins over Carolina Garcia, Dayana Yastremska, Karolina Muchova, and Zheng Qinwen.

However, her clash with Andreeva proved to be an entirely different challenge.

The young Russian fought hard to take the opening set in a tense tiebreak, 7-6(1). Swiatek responded emphatically in the second, dropping just one game to level the match.

But the final set saw the 23-year-old struggle, starting with an early break of serve that put her on the back foot.

As frustration mounted, Swiatek’s emotions spilled over. In a heated moment, she slammed a ball into the ground after receiving it from a ball kid.

The ball bounced straight up into the stands near her team, causing the ball kid to flinch.

Given past incidents where players like Novak Djokovic, Miyu Kato, and Denis Shapovalov were defaulted for accidentally hitting on-court staff, Swiatek’s outburst sparked online debate, with many fans arguing that she had “narrowly escaped a disqualification.”

Later in the third set, with Andreeva leading 3-1 on serve, Swiatek rushed to the chair umpire, appearing to “argue” that she was being distracted by the movement of the ball kids during her opponent’s serve.

Ultimately, Swiatek couldn’t regain her composure, falling to Andreeva in a match that will be remembered for both its high-quality tennis and its controversy.

Mirra Andreeva maintained her momentum, extending her lead and sealing the victory with a final score of 7-6(1), 1-6, 6-3. She will now take on Aryna Sabalenka in the Indian Wells final on Sunday, March 16.

Iga Swiatek also took her frustrations out on her team after Dubai loss to Mirra Andreeva

This isn’t the first time Iga Swiatek has shown frustration toward her team in recent weeks. Just last month, Mirra Andreeva claimed her first-ever victory over the five-time Grand Slam champion at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

After suffering a 6-3, 6-3 quarterfinal defeat to the eventual champion, Swiatek visibly snubbed her coach, Wim Fissette, as he approached to console her.

At the Qatar Open, where she was aiming for a fourth consecutive title, Swiatek once again struggled this time against Jelena Ostapenko, marking her fifth straight loss to the Latvian.

Frustration boiled over during the match as she uncharacteristically slammed her racquet to the ground in anger.

Now, the world No.1 will look to regroup quickly as she shifts her focus to the Miami Open, where she hopes to capture her second title after her triumph in 2022.

4o

Jannik Sinner continues to carve out his place among tennis greats. As of Monday, the 23-year-old has officially begun his 40th week as the world’s No. 1, a milestone that places him alongside Ilie Nastase and brings him one step closer to Andy Murray on the all-time list.

Sinner’s achievement is even more remarkable considering he joins an elite club of players who have held the top spot for at least 40 weeks during their first stint as world No. 1.

The challenge of maintaining the position is immense, but Sinner has proven he is built differently.

His name now stands alongside legendary figures such as Roger Federer, Jimmy Connors, Lleyton Hewitt, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and Ilie Nastase.

Even as he serves his current ban, Sinner will remain at the top of the rankings. If Alexander Zverev fails to overtake him by the end of April, Sinner will match Nadal’s 46-week mark and move further up the rankings. After that, his next target will be Novak Djokovic’s record.

Ilie Nastase, who became the first-ever world No. 1 in ATP history, held the position for 40 weeks between 1973 and 1974 during his initial reign.

Jimmy Connors, one of the most dominant players of his era, managed a staggering 160 consecutive weeks at the top after surpassing Nastase.

His streak could have reached an astonishing 245 weeks, but Bjorn Borg briefly interrupted his run for a single week in August 1977.

Nearly 25 years later, Lleyton Hewitt rose to prominence, taking the No. 1 ranking between 2001 and 2003 and accumulating 75 weeks at the top.

Then came Roger Federer, who rewrote the history books between 2004 and 2008, holding the No. 1 position for an extraordinary four and a half years.

Federer’s first reign lasted an incredible 237 weeks, a record that remains one of the toughest in the sport to surpass.

Rafael Nadal made his mark in the summer of 2008, dethroning Federer and holding the top spot for 46 weeks.

Novak Djokovic followed in 2011 after a phenomenal season, surpassing Nadal’s mark with 53 weeks at No. 1 during his first reign.

Andy Murray had his moment in 2016, battling Djokovic for the coveted No. 1 ranking and finally securing it after defeating his rival in the ATP Finals title match.

The Brit remained at the top for 41 weeks, surpassing Nastase and placing himself sixth on the list.

Now, Sinner is set to overtake Murray in just two weeks. If he maintains his lead heading into the Rome Masters, he has a legitimate shot at matching Djokovic’s 53-week record during his first tenure at No. 1.

That would cement his place as the fourth-longest reigning first-time world No. 1 in ATP history.

Should he regain top form after his three-month absence and deliver strong performances at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, Sinner’s reign could extend even further.

At that point, Lleyton Hewitt’s 75-week mark might become his next target.

As Sinner’s journey continues, the tennis world watches in anticipation, eager to see just how high he can climb in the sport’s history books.