A Metropolitan Police commander who wrote the force's current drug strategy - and oversaw the dismissal of two officers for drug misuse - has been accused of taking cannabis, LSD, and magic mushrooms.

Commander Julian Bennett faces dismissal for gross misconduct amid claims he took the three drugs while on holiday in France between February 2019 and July 2020.

He has been suspended on full pay since July 2021, pending the investigation by the Metropolitan Police's directorate of professional standards.

He is also accused of refusing to provide a drug sample on 21 July 2020 after being told there was reasonable cause to suspect he had taken cannabis.

He claimed at the time he had taken CBD (cannabidiol) for a medical condition with his face - an excuse the charge says he "knew to be untrue".

A photo sent on WhatsApp showing cannabis on a table has been submitted as evidence.

However, Bennett's lawyers argue they have not received all the WhatsApp messages, emails, and SMSs they wanted - including a year's worth from one witness.

John Beggs, defending Bennett, said witnesses may have "cherry-picked" the messages that had been disclosed.

However, Mark Ley-Morgan QC, representing the police, said they had disclosed all relevant material.

Hearing chairman James Tumbridge said he would be adjourning proceedings on Monday and rose from the panel to determine a new date, saying: "It might just not be doable to do this hearing this week."

Bennett was the commander for territorial policing between 2017 and 2021 and wrote the Met's drug strategy.

The document, titled Dealing with the impact of drugs on communities, set out plans to raise "awareness of the dangers of drug misuse".

He also presided over 74 misconduct hearings, involving 90 officers, between June 2010 and February 2012, a 2021 FOI request revealed.

Out of these hearings involving Bennett, 56 officers were dismissed - more than 75%.

A further FOI request in 2020 found two officers were dismissed for drugs misuse.