Met policewoman shared offensive WhatsApp message about ‘pretty lesbian’ recruit

A Metropolitan Police serviceman who shared a highly violative connection astir a “pretty lesbian” enlistee successful a WhatsApp chat with 4 colleagues would person been sacked had she not resigned.

PC Rebecca King’s treatment astir the pistillate with constable Kevin Odongo came to airy during an unrelated misconduct investigation.

King wrote: “She’s caller miss connected team. Lesbian. Pretty though”, a disciplinary proceeding heard connected Friday.

To which PC Odongo replied: “She tin get it then” successful October 2020.

Around 2,962 pages of messages were exchanged by members of the “Not the large bloody group” chat which included King, Odongo, PC Dean Murphy and 2 others who remains unnamed.

In another, King responded to an representation a antheral serviceman posted of his fingers: “Nice, did she bask it?”

Odongo told the group: “Becks, can’t judge you’ve got a full boyfriend. All this clip I’ve been trying to smash you.”

Murphy - based successful Newham and Waltham Forest - accepted messages sent were misogynistic and suggestive of unit towards women and girls.

King and Odongo denied gross misconduct and King claimed she had challenged immoderate of the behaviour.

But Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor recovered they had breached standards of nonrecreational behaviour successful respect of discreditable conduct, authority, respect and courtesy, and challenging and reporting improper conduct.

Describing immoderate texts arsenic being of “the astir abhorrent nature”, AC Taylor said: “In the play the WhatsApp radical was active, galore precocious illustration media stories came to airy concerning inappropriate WhatsApp groups betwixt constabulary officers, yet, this did not alteration their behaviour.

“Also, Sarah Everard was murdered successful March 2021 by a constabulary serviceman and the reporting connected that did not interrupt the messaging successful the group.”

PCs King, Odongo and Murphy were each placed connected restricted duties erstwhile nether investigation. King and Odongo aboriginal resigned portion Murphy was dismissed without notice.

Chief Superintendent Dan Card, liable for policing the North East Command Unit, said: “These messages were highly violative and I americium appalled and bewildered that the officers recovered them successful immoderate mode amusing oregon gratifying.

“Those who clasp specified views are not acceptable to service successful the organisation and it is close the sheet concluded they should beryllium dismissed with contiguous effect.”

The trio person been placed connected the barred database held by the College of Policing.