10 Downing Street police who guarded PM are charged with assault

Two police officers who provided armed protection for Tony Blair and Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street have been charged with serious offences of assault.

Sergeant Patrick Byrne, 48, and PC Damien Roddam, 27 – both members of Scotland Yard’s elite CO6 Diplomatic Protection Group – were arrested within 48 hours of each other after unrelated violent ‘domestic’ incidents.

The arrests are a damaging blow to the reputation of the DPG, whose 800 armed officers provide 24-hour protection for Government Ministers and foreign diplomats at London embassies.

Sergeant Byrne has been charged with assaulting his wife Sarah, causing actual bodily harm following an alleged incident at his home in Horley, Surrey, on July 22. He has been released on bail and suspended from duty.

PC Roddam was charged with  obstructing and assaulting police following an incident at his home in Fleet, Hampshire, on July 20. He has also been released on bail, removed from firearms duties and placed on non-operational work.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said neither officer was based at Downing Street at the time of the offences but admitted the men had worked at No10 during their attachment to the DPG.

Chief Superintendent Christine Jones, head of the DPG, said in a statement last night: ‘We expect the highest standard of professional behaviour from all our officers, whether on or off duty.

‘Where behaviour falls below that standard, action will be taken.’

DPG officers are trained to use all police firearms, including the Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol and the Heckler & Koch MP5 carbine.

As well as protecting the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, officers are also responsible for guarding former premiers such as Baroness Thatcher.