(Image: Gwent Police)
Last Updated: 1 minute ago
A misconduct hearing has found that two ex-officers who shared racist, homophobic and misogynistic messages in a private WhatsApp group would have been dismissed without notice – had they not already quit the force.
Resignations before the hearing
Former PCs Simon Lewis and James Heley both resigned from Gwent Police on Friday 27 February, just days before the gross misconduct hearing took place on Monday 2 March. Neither attended the proceedings.
The investigation
The allegations stem from an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) into discussions on a WhatsApp group involving both former and serving Gwent Police officers.
The hearing found that between April 2015 and February 2019, the pair sent a series of messages described as offensive, derogatory and disrespectful.
Standards breached
Both former officers were found to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in relation to authority, respect and courtesy, equality and diversity, and discreditable conduct.
Former PC Heley was additionally found to have breached standards relating to confidentiality, while former PC Lewis was also found to have breached standards around challenging and reporting improper conduct.
Chief Constable’s response ⚖️
Following the hearing, Chief Constable Mark Hobrough of Gwent Police said:
“The WhatsApp messages sent by former officers were utterly vile and shocking, showing blatant racism, homophobia, and misogyny – attitudes that have absolutely no place in policing or our society.
“It is right that both former PCs Simon Lewis and James Heley are no longer part of Gwent Police.
“Their actions have brought shame to our organisation and have undermined public trust.
“We acted swiftly the moment we were made aware of these messages in 2022 which included the immediate suspension of these two officers from duty and referrals to the Independent Office of Police Conduct.
“In recent years, we have made significant progress in rooting out misconduct and driving substantial cultural change.
“My mission is to restore trust with our communities by building an inclusive organisation that genuinely cares for and engages with everyone in our communities.
“I am committed to leading a police service which stands against racism, homophobia and misogyny.
“We have already made notable progress through collaborative efforts with the University of South Wales and the College of Policing to upskill staff to spot and deal robustly with discrimination.
“A recent staff survey showed promising results, revealing that most of our workforce feel confident to speak up and challenge unacceptable behaviour.
“The vast majority of our officers serve with pride, professionalism and integrity.
“Our communities – and our staff – deserve nothing less than the highest standards, and we are dedicated to ensuring those standards are maintained across Gwent Police.”
Both former officers will shortly be added to the College of Policing’s barred list.
