Misconduct panel issues written warnings after officers fail to challenge vile comments in group chat
Three Metropolitan Police officers who were part of a WhatsApp group in which their supervisor made abhorrent remarks about rape victims, race, and disabled people have escaped dismissal, despite widespread condemnation.
PCs Rafi Kentafi Lindill, James Humphrey, and Craig Hawkins were all probationary officers stationed on a response team in Lambeth and Southwark between December 2021 and May 2022. The three served under a senior officer, known only as “Officer A”, who regularly posted shocking and offensive messages in a group chat entitled “Here we Goooooo”.
The disciplinary panel heard how Officer A, who is of Pakistani origin, referred to an Asian person using the racial slur “p***”. He also made grotesque and misogynistic comments about a rape victim, describing her as a “c***” who ought to be locked up. In another message, he suggested she had been “raw dogged” in a park by “two blokes after a night out and regrets it”.
Further messages in the group saw female colleagues branded “mental or slags or both”, while one officer was described in a deeply disturbing context involving “anal rape”. Disabled individuals were targeted too, with terms such as “retard” and “spastic” being used freely.
Despite being present in the group, the three PCs failed to challenge any of the messages. Lindill, who is of Moroccan descent, admitted that the comments were “deeply shameful, derogatory and wholly unacceptable” but described Officer A as a role model figure at the time. Humphrey claimed he was fearful of the consequences had he spoken out, and Hawkins stated he did not see all the messages and had neither endorsed nor repeated them.
The gross misconduct hearing concluded that while the officers had fallen short of the expected standards of professional conduct, their actions did not warrant dismissal. Instead, Lindill and Hawkins were given 18-month written warnings, and Humphrey received a 24-month warning.
Commander Katie Lilburn, who chaired the panel, remarked that the trio’s failure to act risked “serious reputational damage” to the Metropolitan Police, particularly at a time when public confidence in the force’s handling of rape and violence against women and girls is under intense national scrutiny.
More Read
“The officers’ failure to challenge the messages or distance themselves from the content has the potential to undermine the trust of the communities we serve,” Cmdr Lilburn said. “However, we have considered their junior status, the fear of speaking out against a respected senior officer, and their clear expressions of regret.”
She also added: “I hope you all go on to have a long career and share your learning and experience to deter others from making the same mistakes as you have. This should serve as a salutary lesson on the dangers of WhatsApp groups and the serious consequences of failing to uphold our values.”
Officer A is reportedly facing separate misconduct proceedings, and his future within the force remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard has been contacted for further comment on the panel’s findings.
The decision not to dismiss the officers has sparked renewed debate around culture and accountability within the Met, with critics warning that mere written warnings send the wrong message about tolerance of misogyny, ableism and racism in the ranks.
The incident follows a string of damaging revelations and misconduct cases that have placed the Metropolitan Police under the microscope, as it continues its struggle to rebuild public trust in the wake of high-profile scandals and inquiries.
