He was suspended from duty for two years and in 2003 stood trial at the Old Bailey. He was eventually cleared of all charges. Speaking afterwards, Dizaei said he believed there had been a campaign to “destroy my life and my career”. The then Met Commissioner Sir Blair later apologised, saying the inquiry had caused “considerable damage” to the force. During the Helios court case, it emerged that Dizaei was intensely disliked by some of his colleagues. They reportedly took issue with his “flash” clothes, open marriage, love of nightclubs and interest in bodybuilding. In his last trial, he was likened to Hollywood movie gangster Tony Montana, Al Pacino’s infamous character in Scarface.
