Three ex-officers banned from policing over racist, sexist WhatsApp chats

One joked he was ‘out raping’, misconduct files show

Chief of Herfordshire Constabulary says keeping officers on would destroy confidence in the force (Google Street View)

Two former police officers have been barred from working in the role again for their part in a WhatsApp group that shared bestiality porn and rape jokes.

The constables’ chat group – named “Danny’s got a sore vagina” – saw sexist and racist terms used over a two-year period.

PCs Charles Phipps and Robert Goldstone, of Hertfordshire Constabulary, were each found to have committed gross misconduct and barred from policing in the UK.

Mr Phipps shared an image of a man inserting his penis into a cow’s mouth, a misconduct hearing found.

The officer, who in 2013 trained to become a lesbian and gay liaison officer, also used terms including “n****”, “Jew” and “sheikhs”.

Mr Goldstone shared a number of discriminatory slurs, including “homo”, “f*****” and “bender” in the WhatsApp group, which included three police officers.

A newly published misconduct document from the hearing on 31 May states that the officers’ behaviour “would significantly risk undermining public confidence in policing” if it were made public.

Charlie Hall, chief constable of Hertfordshire Police, added: [The] messaging also includes misogynistic comments and a failure to challenge similar comments by others.

“These are of national concern presently, especially since the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer.”

Mr Phipps resigned from the force in November 2021 and Mr Goldstone left in February 2022 but both would have been dismissed without notice, according to the misconduct document.

A third officer from Hertfordshire Police was separately sacked without notice for sharing jokes about being “out raping” on a WhatsApp group with colleagues.

PC Mark Williams sent twelve messages with terms including “gayyy”, “paedo twat”, “I was out raping”, “homo”, “bender” and “f*****”.

Chief constable Charlie Hall said in a misconduct hearing document: “His messaging also includes misogynistic comments, most notably an appalling comment about being ‘out raping’.”

He added: “I have considered lesser sanctions first, but in this case believe that these would be insufficient and leave me unable to justify why I can have complete confidence that an officer who has repeatedly used such discriminatory words can be trusted to act fairly and impartially with all sections of the public.

“This would not only damage his ability to police effectively, but also have a consequential effect on confidence in the constabulary as a whole.”

Mr Williams was dismissed without notice and barred from policing.

SWNS