Met officers guilty of gross misconduct over offensive WhatsApp messages – BBC News

Image source, BBC/Minnow Films/Glen GrattonImage caption, Some of the messages mocked Katie Price’s son HarveyBy Aurelia Foster & PA NewsBBC NewsEight serving and former Metropolitan Police officers have been found guilty of gross misconduct over offensive messages shared in a WhatsApp group. The “discriminatory and offensive” messages included some that made fun of Katie Price’s disabled son.The officers, seven men and one woman, were found to have sent sexist, racist, homophobic and transphobic messages between May 2016 and June 2018. They also failed to challenge other group members’ conduct, a panel found.Some messages allegedly “applauded sexual violence against women”, the fifth day of a hearing in central London was told.The hearing concerned former Sgt Luke Thomas, former acting Sgt Luke Allen, former PC Kelsey Buchan, former PC Carlo Francisco, former PC Lee South, former PC Darren Jenner, PC Glynn Rees, and “Officer B”, who has been granted anonymity. The panel heard that “Officer B” posted an edited photograph of Harvey Price in a chat, accompanied by a caption that had a “racist tone” and made fun of his disability.Mr Price, 20, has Prader-Willi syndrome, autism and is partially-sighted.Legal chairman of the panel Christopher McKay described the post as a “significant
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