Six former Met Police officers charged with sending ‘grossly offensive' racist messages on WhatsApp
15 August 2023, 14:45 | Updated: 15 August 2023, 14:47
Six former Met Police officers have been charged with sending “grossly offensive racist messages” on WhatsApp.
The men involved have been charged by post with offences under the Communications act 2003 and are set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday September 7.
It was established following an investigation last year that the messages were exchanged in a WhatsApp group chat between August 2018 and September 2022.
The six men were not serving in the force at the time of the messages.
The men charged served in different departments of the Met throughout their careers but all spent a period of time in the Diplomatic Protection Group, now known as the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command.
In a statement, the Met said: "As a result of the investigation, it was established that from August 2018 until September 2022, inappropriate communications were shared within a closed WhatsApp group.
"The six men charged were not serving at any point during their participation in the group.
"They served in various parts of the Met throughout their careers but all spent time in the Diplomatic Protection Group, now known as the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command."
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The messages have not been reproduced due to their strong racist nature.
Reports suggest some of the messages included references to the government’s Rwanda policy, jokes about flooding in Pakistan and images of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
"As soon as we were made aware of these allegations we acted to launch an investigation,” Commander James Harman, who leads the Met's Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command, said.
"I am pleased that following the determined work of officers we have been able to secure these charges.
"The honest majority of Met officers are fully behind this work.
"They are tired of being let down by a minority in policing and they are aware of the damage poor behaviour can do to our relationship with the communities we serve.
"I recognise announcements about the outcome of our investigations may have the potential to cause further public concern, but I hope it demonstrates our absolute commitment to investigate any corrupt and abusive behaviour from the Met."
The six men are:
- Peter Booth, 66, of Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, who has been charged with four counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages. He retired from the Met in April 2001.
- Robert Lewis, 62, of Camberley, Surrey, who has been charged with eight counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages. He retired from the Met in May 2015.
- Anthony Elsom, 67, of Bournemouth, Dorset, who has been charged with three counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages. He retired from the Met in May 2012.
- Alan Hall, 65, of Stowmarket, Suffolk, who has been charged with three counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages. He retired from the Met in June 2015.
- Michael Chadwell, 62, of Liss, Hampshire, who has been charged with one count of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages. He retired from the Met in November 2015.
- Trevor Lewton, 65, of Swansea, South Wales, who has been charged with one count of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages. He retired from the Met in August 2009.
