A Metropolitan Police officer was sacked in disgrace after texting that he hoped Harry Kane died in a plane crash following the striker’s World Cup penalty miss.
PC Niall Bowler was dismissed over when a series of offensive and abusive WhatsApp messages sent to fellow officers came to light.
In December 2022, on the day Kane missed a decisive penalty when England crashed out of the Qatar World Cup, the officer fired off abuse aimed at the team’s captain and manager Sir Gareth Southgate.
“F***ing Kane”, he wrote. “Dumb c**t. Hope he gets a private jet home and it crashes.”
He then referenced the tragic death of Argentinian footballer Emiliano Sala, who died in a plane crash in 2019.
“I'd recommend the company that flew emeliano sala”, Bowler wrote. “Join him at the bottom of the English channel.
“But to miss a massive box from that close. F***ing retard Southgate shouldn’t be making kane captain.”
The messages emerged in a misconduct hearing which led to Bowler’s sacking from the Met.
The ruling, now published, shows that the officer sent a series of offensive messages between August 2022 and February 2024.
He aimed criticism at a colleague, writing: “They’ve also offered [her] a spot on the PAT team purely because they liked her on the 5 days she was out with the syndicate. Mental.
“Because she’s a f***ing nightmare to actually work with.”
He went on: “She’s really autistic too, sits there twitching away and grunting. She’s like post but not funny. Trying to hold a conversation with her is frustrating. After every sentence she just goes 'mmmmmm', or even when you're mid sentence. Just be quiet.”
Bowler used the slur “f**ing spaz”, and in another message he wrote: “I wonder what the spaz would think about this case as a fed rep.”
In a conversation about a supervisor, Bowler wrote: “Ugly mental hags? Nah not for me. You can keep her. She’s got plenty of time on her hands these days. Make sure you've got time in your diary for her.”
In July 2023, Bowler sent a link to a press release about police pay increases, and wrote the comment: “Even more free money. For being a bunch of nonces and murderers”.
He was also called to account over a message in which he had written that his senior officer had told him to keep a mobile phone and download the contents, even though charges had not been brought against the suspect.
Bowler also replied “True say fam” when a fellow officer suggested legalising drugs.
Bowler admitted gross misconduct over the messages, but suggested the discrimination had been accidental.
“It is entirely unacceptable for police officers to use discriminatory language”, said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine, in the ruling.
“Doing so undermines public trust and confidence in policing as well as our reputation.
“The public could have no confidence in PC Bowler to act with due respect to protect them, particularly those with protected characteristics.”
The officer was sacked and his name has now been added to the police barring list.
