Ex-Met Coppers Jailed Over Racist WhatsApp Rants
Six former Metropolitan Police officers have been handed suspended sentences for sharing offensive and racist messages on WhatsApp. The retired officers, who left the force between 2001 and 2015, were convicted after a probe by the Met’s professional standards team.
Burning Shame for the Met
Commander James Harman, who heads the Met’s Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command, blasted the behaviour. “The racist and discriminatory content of these messages is appalling,” he said. “Given these defendants once served as police officers, this case may damage public trust in policing. Colleagues across the Met will be disgusted and pleased with today’s outcome.”
He added the messages were flagged by BBC’s Newsnight in October 2022, with arrests made swiftly after. “This shows we take allegations of misconduct seriously and will pursue criminal charges where evidence of discrimination exists.”
“It’s not about the platform – phone, text or face-to-face – but the mindset and conduct we must tackle.”
Meet the Offenders and Their Sentences
- Michael Chadwell, 62, Liss: Found guilty of sending racist messages. Sentenced to 10 weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months, plus 100 hours unpaid work. Retired 2015.
- Peter Booth, 66, Llandeilo: Guilty to four counts of racist messages. Eight weeks suspended sentence plus 140 hours unpaid work. Retired 2001.
- Robert Lewis, 62, Camberley: Guilty of eight counts. Fourteen weeks suspended and 200 hours unpaid work. Retired 2015.
- Anthony Elsom, 67, Bournemouth: Guilty of three counts. Eight weeks suspended plus 140 hours unpaid work. Retired 2012.
- Alan Hall, 65, Stowmarket: Guilty of three counts. Eight weeks suspended and 40 hours unpaid work. Retired 2015.
- Trevor Lewton, 65, Swansea: Guilty of one count. Six weeks suspended and 65 hours unpaid work. Retired 2009.
Time Served on Diplomatic Duty
All six served in various Met roles but notably spent time in the Diplomatic Protection Group, now the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command.
The ruling sent a clear message: racism won’t be tolerated, even from those once sworn to uphold the law.
Originally published by UKNIP.
