Two Met Police officers have been sacked over “discriminatory and offensive” WhatsApp messages – together with some which made enjoyable of Katie Price’s disabled son Harvey.
The two serving officers – and 6 former colleagues – had been discovered responsible of gross misconduct over racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic and disablist messages.
They had been shared between May 2016 and June 2018 in a WhatsApp group referred to as “Secret Squirrel S**t”.
On Friday, PC Glynn Rees and one other officer, who was granted anonymity, had been dismissed by the disciplinary panel at Palestra House in Southwark, central London, following a six-day listening to.
The different six officers, former sergeant Luke Thomas, former performing sergeant Luke Allen and former constables Kelsey Buchan, Lee South, Darren Jenner, and Carlo Francisco, are not serving, having resigned or been dismissed.
All eight officers have been barred for all times from the police service.
The WhatsApp group was discovered to have displayed “toxic” and “abhorrent” messages inconsistent with values and requirements anticipated to be upheld by police.
Legal chairman Christopher McKay described gross misconduct as a “breach of the standards of professional behaviour that is so serious as to justify dismissal”.
Each officer dedicated gross misconduct by sending messages in addition to “failing to challenge or report” the conduct of others within the group.
‘Inappropriate and offensive’
The messages included derogatory remarks about Katie Price’s son, Harvey, 20, who suffers from autism and Prader-Willi syndrome and is partially sighted.
They included a rhyme which had a “racist tone and refers to his disability”.
The put up was a “significant breach of the standard of equality and diversity” and “inappropriate and offensive” to Mr Price, constituting gross misconduct, Mr McKay stated.
Former sergeant Thomas, the highest-ranking officer within the group, “appears to have been one of the most active participants” and despatched messages mocking Mr Price’s weight.
TV persona Ms Price earlier described how she was “shocked and upset” in regards to the “disgusting” feedback.
“We look up to police officers to protect us and I teach my kids to say that police will protect you,” she stated.
“I do respect a lot of police out there… they do an amazing job, but to be let down by people like this.”
Other messages had been in regards to the look of a junior feminine officer recognized solely as Officer A within the hearings – whom Thomas described as “f****** ugly”.
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He was the one officer to face a fourth allegation for failure to information or problem or take accountability to advertise requirements.
Mr McKay described Thomas’s failings as “extremely serious”, with the panel concluding that, given his rank, Thomas “could and should” have closed the WhatsApp group as quickly because the “highly inappropriate nature of the messages became apparent”.
Instead, he “became one of the main contributors”.
Continued service ‘untenable’
Daniel Hobbs, performing on behalf of the Met Police, reminded the panel in regards to the work carried out by Baroness Casey to establish shortcomings throughout the Met Police drive.
Mr Hobbs stated “work to end discrimination internally has already begun and continued today with the panel’s welcomed findings”.
Learning incapacity charity Mencap, the place Mr Price is an envoy, condemned the officers’ feedback.
A spokesman stated: “It’s absolutely appalling that serving police officers have been found guilty of sharing abusive content about vulnerable people, the very same people they have a duty to protect.
“We stand alongside our ambassador Harvey and condemn their actions.”
The charity added that it hoped the disciplinary outcome would “function a warning to those that flip a blind eye, or worse partake in bullying”.
Source: information.sky.com”