A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) chief has slammed the 'repugnant' and 'shameful' behaviour of officers disciplined after an investigation into a WhatsApp group where 'racist and homophobic' messages were shared.
Two officers have left the force in disgrace and another has been given a final warning following the probe into the group where 'drug use and supply' were also mentioned.
At least six male police officers were members of the group titled 'The Dispensables' and subtitled 'the gods of north Manchester who risk their lives every day to f*** jobs off', a tribunal heard.
It was said to have been dominated by PC Aaron Jones, who resigned in 2021 after being convicted of offering to supply steroids. A disciplinary hearing in December last year ruled he would have been sacked had he not resigned and he was added to the College of Policing's 'barred list.'
PC Rebekah Kelly was not part of the WhatsApp group but was then Jones' girlfriend and she failed to report 'racist and derogatory' text messages he sent to her directly, GMP said.
The tribunal heard PC Jones dismissed troublemakers at Eid celebrations in Manchester's Curry Mile, in August 2018, as 'smelly P*** c***s' in a separate chat with PC Kelly, who is now his wife.
PC Ashley Feest, a member of the group, is said to have referenced the illicit use of drugs on the group chat. He had also shared a 'racist' meme about slavery and he was also found to be positive for steroids when he was subject to a random drugs test by the force, the hearing was told.
PC Graham Atkinson set up the group to try and arrange five-a-side football games and it was originally called 'B2 Soldiers.' He said he had nothing to do with the name change and the panel concluded he had not posted or shared inappropriate material himself. However, they said he had failed to challenge the 'racist and homophobic' comments in the group.
The internal investigation had also uncovered mobile phone footage, shot by PC Jones, which showed PC Atkinson mocking a Lithuanian man by appearing to speak a 'made up language'. The disciplinary panel concluded the video had 'clear racist overtones' although his behaviour lasted only a matter of seconds.
PC Atkinson said he 'was not that man anymore' and told the panel: "I would just like to sincerely apologise to the panel, GMP and the public.... I can completely understand how much damage is done to public confidence and I'm very sorry."
PCs Atkinson and Feest, who like PC Kelly at the time worked in worked in GMP’s City of Manchester North division. accepted their behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and apologised, while PC Kelly denied the allegations.
GMP said although the messages were sent via personal accounts, the content meant that 'any right to privacy these officers thought they had was ousted by their abhorrent conduct.'
Following the disciplinary hearing which concluded yesterday (Wednesday), the legally qualified chair of the panel Paul Forster ruled said they had concluded PC Kelly 'knew and understood the words used' to be racist. And he said her evidence that she didn't know her partner was taking illegal steroids was 'not credible.'
She was found guilty of gross misconduct, was dismissed without notice and will be added to the national policing 'barred list.' Former PC Feest, who resigned in 2021, would have been dismissed if he was still serving it was ruled and will also be added to the barred list. PC Atkinson was handed a final written warning.
In a strongly worded statement issued following the hearing, Detective Chief Superintendent Mike Allen, head of GMP's Professional Standards Branch, said “The conduct of these officers was a complete disgrace and it is fitting that three members of the WhatsApp group now find themselves barred from policing for life, with one also carrying a criminal conviction for offering to supply drugs.
“Whilst messages were sent across personal WhatsApp accounts, given the racist and homophobic content, in addition to other communications revelling in the misuse of drugs, any right to privacy these officers thought they had was ousted by their abhorrent conduct.
“The shameful behaviour of these officers risks undermining the noble work of all in GMP who serve our diverse communities with kindness and this is why I have no hesitation in demonstrating, very publicly, the hard line that will be taken when such repugnant behaviour is detected
“GMP have given a firm commitment to expelling those whose behaviour risks bringing policing into disrepute and members of the ‘the Dispensables’ WhatsApp group may now recognise that our actions very much match our words given their now dispensed status from policing."
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