LONDON: Five former London police officers on Thursday admitted sending grossly offensive racist messages to each other on WhatsApp, which included references to Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and other members of the royal family.
The five officers, who have all retired, were charged after an investigation by BBC's Newsnight programme which discovered the men had sent the messages between August 2018 and September 2022, a period when they had all left the police.
Three of the messages featured racist comments about Meghan, the wife of King Charles' younger son, Prince Harry. Meghan's mother is Black and her father is white.
One of these messages also included a picture of the late Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip, while others referenced Charles' eldest son and heir Prince William and his wife Kate, along with Rishi Sunak, Britain's first prime minister of colour.
The former officers, aged in their 60s, pleaded guilty to sending offensive messages at a hearing at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court.
"The racist and discriminatory content of these messages is absolutely appalling and, given the defendants once served as police officers, we recognise that this case may further damage confidence in policing," said Commander James Harman, who leads the Metropolitan Police's Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command.
The London force has been plagued by scandal in recent years and an independent review in March concluded it was institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic. Its new chief, Mark Rowley, has promised to rid it of unsuitable individuals among its more than 43,000 officers and staff.
The five men had all worked in various departments at the police but had all served in the Diplomatic Protection Group, which in the last year has seen one former member convicted of murder and rape, and another jailed for carrying out 24 rapes and other sex offences over two decades.
Reuters
Fri Sep 08 2023
Five former London police officers admitted sending grossly offensive racist messages to each other on WhatsApp, which included references to Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and other members of the royal family. - REUTERS/Filepic
Lawatan negara Anwar ke Pakistan raih potensi perdagangan RM2.65 bilion - Tengku Zafrul
Pakistan turut beri komitmen untuk tingkat import minyak kelapa sawit dari Malaysia dan import produk berasaskan kayu, baja, petrokimia.
Tiada potensi penyelesaian diplomatik konflik Israel-Palestin
PM Anwar Ibrahim akui usaha diplomatik gagal hentikan kekejaman Israel di Palestin dan Lubnan, menyalahkan sokongan kuat dari Amerika Syarikat sebagai punca.
Malaysia dan Pakistan perkukuh kerjasama menentang ekstremisme
PM Anwar Ibrahim menyeru Malaysia dan Pakistan untuk memperhebat usaha bersama dalam memerangi keganasan melalui kerjasama risikan, strategi, dan pembaharuan pendidikan serta sosial.
Malaysia-Pakistan sasar tingkatkan hubungan perdagangan
PM Anwar Ibrahim dan Shehbaz Sharif komited meningkatkan perdagangan antara Malaysia dan Pakistan, dengan fokus pada eksport, teknologi pertanian, farmaseutikal, dan kerjasama sektor pekerja mahir.
Anwar akui usaha diplomatik hentikan kedegilan, kekejaman Israel tidak berkesan
Keberanian Israel bertindak sesuka hati di Palestin dan Lubnan, mungkin disebabkan sokongan diterima daripada Amerika Syarikat, tegas Perdana Menteri.
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Israel terus mengganas, 37 maut di Lubnan dalam tempoh 24 jam lalu
Sekurang-kurangnya 37 orang terbunuh sementara 151 lagi cedera akibat serangan Israel di seluruh Lubnan pada Khamis.
Israel terus mengganas, 37 maut di Lubnan dalam tempoh 24 jam lalu
Letupan besar kedengaran di Beirut dengan imej dari ibu negara Lubnan itu menunjukkan langit malam menyala di kawasan selatan bandar itu.
Pangkalan tentera utama Israel binasa, lebih 20 jet pejuang musnah
Imej satelit menunjukkan kesan kemusnahan hangar pesawat di pangkalan utama tentera udara Israel selepas ia dibedil Iran di bawah Operasi Janji Benar 2.0.
Israel tekad terus serang Hezbollah di Beirut - Ketua tentera
Tentera Israel "tekad untuk memusnahkan" infrastruktur Hezbollah berhampiran sempadan Lubnan dan akan terus melakukan kerosakan terhadap kumpulan itu.
Deklarasi Doha seru gencatan senjata dan bantuan kemanusiaan untuk Gaza
Deklarasi Doha dengan tumpuan pada "Diplomasi Sukan," menekankan keperluan mendesak untuk gencatan senjata segera dan menyeluruh di Gaza.
Putera Harry kalah dalam usaha cabar kerajaan UK dapatkan kawalan keselamatan
Harry, isteri hilang perlindungan keselamatan di UK susulan pengundurannya daripada tugas-tugas diraja.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Harry, Meghan diburu paparazi, hampir kemalangan dalam kejadian 'kejar-mengejar'
Pasangan itu dikejar dengan kereta sehingga hampir membawa bencana di tangan sekumpulan paparazi yang sangat agresif di New York.
Putera Harry tidak muncul di balkoni istana selepas majlis istiadat pertabalan bapa
Putera Harry yang merupakan putera bongsu Raja Charles III dilihat menghadiri istiadat pertabalan bapanya di Westminster Abbey pada Sabtu.
Meghan Markle bidas media Britain
Isteri Putera Harry berang media Britain dakwa tindakannya tidak hadir upacara pertabalan Raja Charles ekoran surat yang dikirim dua tahun lalu.
Putera Harry, Meghan diminta kosongkan kediaman di Istana Britain
Putera Harry dan Meghan diminta kosongkan kediaman di Istana Britain
Harry, Meghan 'menghadap' Ratu Elizabeth dalam kunjungan mengejut ke UK
Selepas hampir dua tahun 'memutuskan' hubungan dengan keluarga diraja Britain, Putera Harry dan isteri, Meghan Markle akhirnya kembali 'menghadap' Ratu Elizabeth II, Khamis lalu.
Meghan Markle menang kes mahkamah baharu terhadap penerbit tabloid UK
Meghan Markle memenangi pusingan terbaharu perjuangan privasinya yang berpanjangan dengan penerbit Mail.
Puteri Diana dinobat wanita diraja dengan wajah paling sempurna
Diana menewaskan Permaisuri Rania dari Jordan dan dua menantunya, Kate Middleton dan Meghan Markle.
Putera Harry tiba di UK untuk majlis pengebumian Putera Philip
Putera Harry tiba di United Kingdon pada Ahad bagi menziarahi serta menyertai majlis pengebumian datuknya Putera Philip.