Eight serving and former Metropolitan Police officers found guilty of sharing offensive messages

They included messages making fun of Katie Price's disabled son

New Scotland Yard
Author: Alex RichardsonPublished 13th Apr 2023
Last updated 13th Apr 2023

Eight serving and former Metropolitan Police officers have been found guilty of "gross misconduct" over "discriminatory and offensive" messages they shared, including some which made fun of Katie Price's son Harvey.

The officers were found to have sent sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and disablist comments in a WhatsApp group between May 2016 and June 2018.

Legal chairman Christopher McKay described gross misconduct as a "breach of the standards of professional behaviour that is so serious as to justify dismissal", during the fifth day of the haring at Palestra House in Southwark, central London, on Thursday.

He found each former and serving officer to have committed gross misconduct over their own messages, as well as by "failing to challenge or report" the conduct of others in the group.

The hearing concerned former sergeant Luke Thomas, former acting sergeant 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.