Two police officers fired for mocking Katie Price's son Harvey on WhatsApp
Two metropolitan police officers have been sacked over discriminatory messages they sent to colleagues on WhatsApp, including some about Katie Price's son Harvey.
On Thursday (13 April), eight serving and former officers were found guilty of gross misconduct over a 'discriminatory and offensive' WhatsApp group.
The guilty officers, who were seven men and one woman, were found to have sent a load of disgusting messages between May 2016 and June 2018.
In a group named 'Secret Squirrel S***', the disgraced group were found to have sent sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and disablist comments.
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PC Glynn Rees and Officer B, who were previously granted anonymity, have now been dismissed by a disciplinary panel after a six-day hearing.
The only standing officers were punished alongside former sergeant Luke Thomas, former acting sergeant Luke Allen and former constables Kelsey Buchan, Lee South, Darren Jenner, and Carlo Francisco, who will not be allowed in the police force ever again, as they have been barred for life.
Thomas, Allen, Buchan, South and Jenner actually jumped from the Metropolitan Police Force when the messages were first put into the public eye, with Francisco who was actually dismissed in July last year, due to an 'unrelated matter', according to the force.
In addition to posting horrible messages about Harvey, who is autistic and lives with Prader-Willi syndrome, one of the officers is said to have referred to a male police officer, who apparently got away with rape, as a 'legend in my eyes'.
At the misconduct hearing that took place this week, legal chair Christopher McKay, found that the eight individuals had committed gross misconduct over the messages.
Not only that, but McKay also found that the current and former officers 'failed to challenge or report' the conduct of others in the group.
Commander Jon Savell, head of professionalism standards and recognition at the Met, said: “I was repulsed and ashamed to read the deeply offensive messages sent by these officers, and I utterly condemn their behaviour.
“I am deeply sorry to those who have been the subject of such awful disgusting messages.
“The Commissioner has been very clear about our commitment to finding and getting rid of anyone in the Met who has these highly offensive attitudes and today’s result is an example of that."
Meanwhile, McKay added: “Racist, sexist, homophobic and transphobic attitudes revealed in the posts and comments have undermined the reputation of the Metropolitan Police Service as a fair and impartial body.
“Harm has been caused to Harvey Price and his mother, who have learned of the posts recently, and has resulted in a loss of confidence in the MPS by Katie Price."
Topics: Crime, UK News, Katie Price
Callum Jones