Ex cops admit sharing racist jokes

Five former police officers who served in the same elite unit as killer cop Wayne Couzens have admitted sharing grossly offensive racist jokes in a WhatsApp group.

Quips about members of the royal family and prominent Conservatives were also passed between the officers between August 2018 and September 2022, after their service in the Met had ended.

One sick message features a racially offensive photo of Prince William and Kate Middleton greeting young black children through a wire fence.

The five men in their 60s all served in the Met’s parliamentary and diplomatic command during their time with the force. The latest they were working for the Met was 2015.

Sickening racist jokes about Romanians, Chinese and other nationalities were also shared in the private group titled ‘Old Boys Beer Meet – Wales’.

Another joke was made about Princess Diana, Prince Harry and Megan while quips were also made about Rishi Sunak and his former Cabinet colleagues Priti Patel and Sajid Javid.

Offensive comments were also made about the floods in Pakistan, which killed thousands of people.

The five former officers include Robert Lewis, 62, who went on to be employed by the Border Force, were charged with offences under the Communications Act 2003.

Lewis, who retired from the Met in May 2015, has since been sacked by the Home Office from his post with the Border Force.

Lewis, from Camberley, Surrey, admitted eight counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages.

Anthony Elsom, 67, of Bournemouth, retired from the Met in May 2012.

He admitted three like counts.

Peter Booth, 66, of Carmarthenshire, retired from the Met in April 2001. He pleaded guilty to four charges.

Alan Hall, 65, of Suffolk, who retired from the Met in June 2015. He admitted three counts.

Trevor Lewton, 65, of Swansea, admits a single charge.

The maximum sentence for the offence – contrary to section 127(1)(a) and (3) of the Communications Act 2003 – is six months jail and or a fine.

A sixth officer, Michael Chadwell, 62, of Hampshire, denies one like charge and disputes that the message was ‘grossly offensive’.

He retired in November 2015 while Lawton left the force in August 2009.

The officers who pleaded guilty will be sentenced after Chadwell’s trial on a date to be fixed.

Earlier 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.’

Cmdr James Harman, the head of the Met’s anti-corruption and abuse command, said: ‘As soon as we were made aware of these allegations we acted to launch an investigation. I am pleased that following the determined work of officers we have been able to secure these charges.

‘We are working relentlessly to rebuild the trust of the public, which has understandably been dented by a number of high-profile incidents and investigations in recent years which have involved officers or former officers.

‘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.’

Killer cop Wayne Couzens worked in the parliamentary and diplomatic protection command and finished a shift guarding the US embassy hours before he carried out a false arrest of Sarah Everard in March 2021. He then raped and murdered her.

Couzens was handed a whole life sentence.

PC David Carrick, who became one of Britain’s worst ever serial rapists, had boasted he guarded important people including Boris Johnson while based at the same unit.

He was jailed for at least 30 years.