Eight serving and former Metropolitan Police officers have been found guilty of gross misconduct for sharing discriminatory and offensive messages in a WhatsApp group. The messages, sent between 2016 and 2018, contained racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic and disablist comments.
The group, called 'Secret Squirrel Shit', included seven men and one woman. The legal chair, Christopher McKay, ruled that each officer committed gross misconduct by posting offensive content and failing to challenge or report the behaviour of others.
Among the messages were jokes about Harvey Price, the disabled son of model Katie Price. One officer posted an edited photograph with a caption mocking Harvey's disability and race. McKay described the post as a 'significant breach' of equality standards.
The most senior officer, former sergeant Luke Thomas, was one of the most active participants. He mocked Harvey Price's weight, made derogatory comments about a female colleague, and joked about naming his dog after child sex killers. McKay said Thomas failed in his supervisory role and should have closed the group.
The hearing follows a damning report by Louise Casey that found the Metropolitan Police guilty of institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia. The officers now face potential dismissal.
