A POLICE officer who made monkey taunts towards a black suspect in a police station has been forced to resign.

PC Wayne Bell, aged 32, of Cross Lane West, Gravesend, was disciplined following an incident where he made monkey gestures and noises to suspect Anthony Housden.

Another officer, PC Neil Wakeling, was reprimanded and fined 13 days' pay for failing to oppose the behaviour or report it.

Mr Housden, of Iris Crescent, Bexleyheath, was taken to Plumstead police station in July 2005 after being arrested on suspicion of assault and affray at Abbey Wood station.

Last October a misconduct hearing required both men to resign from the Met Police for breaching the police code of conduct.

A review by Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman cleared PC Wakeling and reduced PC Bell's punishment to a fine.

But this decision was overturned after the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) took the case to the High Court.

IPCC commissioner Mehmuda Mian Pritchard said: "We welcome the decision.

"There is no place for racism in the police service."