Police WhatsApp chat filled with ‘routine misogyny’, ‘casual racism’ and bullying, misconduct hearing told

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A police WhatsApp chat was filled with messages characterised by “routine misogyny” and “casual racism” as well as bullying remarks about colleagues and members of the public, a misconduct hearing was told.

Eight West Yorkshire Police officers based in Pudsey used the channel to exchange messages which included “derogatory, offensive and discriminatory language”.

They also shared photographs of “death scenes”, car crashes, missing people and detainees, a misconduct panel sitting in Bradford was told.

Setting out the case against the five officers and three former officers, barrister Olivia Checa-Dover told a hearing on Tuesday that they do not deny their involvement in the WhatsApp group.

She said that they will argue that “what went on was an expression of dark humour, a vehicle through which they would process traumatic experiences, a forum in which to express themselves freely, seek support from their colleagues and provide support to others.”

Ms Checa-Dover said: “The validity of that excuse - or context, as they would say - is the central question.”

She compared the behaviour of the officers to that “routinely suffered by less popular school children” but added this is “usually ironed out in adulthood”.

Serving officers Sgt Mark Otter, Pc Dominique Hawkins, Pc Javaid Habeeb, Pc Luke Riddett, and an officer referred to only as Pc X, all deny gross misconduct between July 2020 and September 2021.

Three other ex-constables - Tom Harrison, Matthew Harrison and Lee Hillyard - also deny gross misconduct but have resigned from the force.

In one example, Ms Checa-Dover said that when discussing a member of the public referred to as Miss A, Pc X posted: “Miss A on a bridge .... jump, jump, jump.”

On another occasion, Ms Checa-Dover said that Pc Riddett posted a photo of an Asian detainee with a beard captioned: “If you had to draw a terrorist.” Replying to the post, PC Tom Harrison said: “Racist”.

When Pc Riddett said “no it’s regional”, Pc Tom Harrison posted two laughing face emojis.

The barrister said to the panel: “Was this dark humour or outright racism?”

She told the panel that in one conversation about going to a strip club Pc Tom Harrison mentioned a female officer, saying: “You gonna strip too?”

Cruel messages were also exchanged about photographs posted of an officer, referred to as Pc A, and his sister, the hearing heard.

Ms Checa-Dover said: “The group variously joked that Pc A could not be blamed for ‘his genetics’ and Pc Hillyard changed the group icon to a picture of PC A and his sister, and forwarded a mock-up of the film The Hills Have Eyes to include images of the two.”

The barrister said to the panel: “Was this a safe place for colleagues to seek support from their peers and provide support, or was it was a platform used to communicate mean-spirited bullying remarks about colleagues deemed not part of the group?”

In one exchange, sexual comments were made about a female officer, the hearing was told. In response, Pc Riddett joked: “It’s not harassment if they say yes. Remember lads, 50 no’s and 1 yes is still a yes”.

Ms Checa-Dover told the panel the eight officers “engaged in conversations, via the exchange of messages, which were characterised by routine misogyny, casual racism, the proliferation of derogatory, offensive and discriminatory language, and mean-spirited and bullying remarks about colleagues and members of the public.”

She said: “The communications identified demonstrate that offensive and derogatory language was essentially par-for-the-course - not out of necessity to support each other but as part of a culture which saw resort to bullying and ostracization of those perceived as non-conforming or outside the group as acceptable.”

She said officers also failed to challenge “plainly offensive and discriminatory language and sentiments, which were often misogynistic, racist and, in cases, transphobic.

“Such conduct risks undermining trust between the public and West Yorkshire Police, and the police more generally.”

The misconduct hearing is expected to last two weeks.