Police officers sacked over racist and sexist WhatsApp messages – Yahoo News UK

Former Metropolitan Police officer Joel Borders (PA)Two serving police officers have been sacked following a misconduct hearing into a WhatsApp group, in which racist and sexist messages were shared with other constables.Met policeman Gary Bailey and Matthew Forster, from the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, were dismissed after an independently-chaired disciplinary panel found the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) case against the officers had been proved.It also found the case against former Met PCs Joel Borders, Jonathon Cobban and William Neville, as well as former Norfolk Constabulary PC Daniel Comfort, to be true.To build its case against the officers, the IOPC analysed more than 6,000 messages which included racist and homophobic comments, and derogatory remarks aimed at domestic abuse victims, people with disabilities and women.IOPC regional director Sal Naseem said: “The views expressed by these officers do not belong in a civilised society and, as we have said before, social media cannot be a hiding place for them, whether on a public platform or as part of a private group.”Borders and Cobban were sentenced to three months’ in prison in November while Neville was previously cleared of two counts of sending grossly offensive messages.
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