High profile misconduct hearing involving eight Metropolitan Police officers nears a conclusion

A high-profile misconduct hearing edged closer to a conclusion today. The evidence has finished and the Panel has indicated that its decision will be handed down on 13th April 2023.

Eight officers who were members of a Metropolitan Police Safer Neighbourhood Team face allegations of gross misconduct for the content of their group chat in a WhatsApp group they called ‘Secret Squirrel Shit.’

Dan Hobbs represented the Appropriate Authority and has told the Panel that the AA seeks a finding of gross misconduct in relation to each of the eight officers. If successful, the AA will also seek outcomes that ensure that none of the officers can continue to serve on the force and that each is placed onto the police barred list (essentially preventing them from returning to policing with any other force).

The proceedings arose after a separate investigation led to the examination of one of the officer’s mobile telephones (which in turn led to the discovery of the  ‘Secret Squirrel Shit’ posts).

An investigation was then commenced into allegations of discriminatory and offensive behaviour within the team. In particular, the WhatsApp posts captured members of the team engaging in racist, sexist, homophobic, disablist, and other offensive behaviour. One commonly recurring topic of conversation within the WhatsApp group was the apparent mocking of Harvey Price, the disabled mixed heritage son of celebrity Katie Price.

The hearing attracted much media publicity including in: 

The Guardian

BBC

The Telegraph (subscription needed)

The Times (subscription needed)

Dan Hobbs acted as Counsel for the Appropriate Authority and presented the proceedings against the officers

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Related barristers

Daniel Hobbs

Call 1998

Related areas

Police Law

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