Sex toy picture posted in police WhatsApp group

A picture of a sex toy found in a vulnerable person's home was posted in a police Whatsapp group, a disciplinary hearing has heard.

Six serving and former Dorset Police officers are facing gross misconduct proceedings over messages in a team chat during the summer of 2020.

The hearing was told the sex toy picture was taken during a callout and later sent to the group.

Serving police officers Sgt Kennie Wilson, PC Kate Trent and PC Mark Philpotts are all facing misconduct allegations, alongside former officers Sgt Timothy Borrill, PC Matthew Williamson and PC Daniel Moore.

The six officers are alleged to have been members of the group, which was used to exchange messages Dorset Police believe were discriminatory, offensive or inappropriate.

Some of the officers are alleged to have sent the messages, while all of them are accused of failing to report or challenge them.

The misconduct panel, at police headquarters in Winfrith, heard the WhatsGroup was created in 2020 for a team of officers put together to tackle drug crime in Dorset.

Giving evidence, Sgt Wilson said he volunteered to join the team and worked as acting sergeant for three months.

The panel heard the sex toy image was shared in the group chat in July 2020.

Sgt Wilson's response to the message at the time read: "This is awkward, but this group is meant to be for work related matters. This sort of stuff will get us all into trouble."

Sgt Wilson said he "felt uncomfortable" and left the group chat. Soon after he moved into a different role.

He told the hearing: "If I had been brave enough and maybe challenged things earlier on, it wouldn't have gotten to that point.

"This was in the early days of me being a supervisor, it wouldn't happen now. I've learnt a lot from this experience."

PC Trent said she "got drawn into the camaraderie and being one of the lads" while in the group chat.

She added she "felt lonely" as her role was office based during the coronavirus pandemic and she was pregnant at the time.

The hearing heard messages where PC Trent referred to members of the public who had commented on a post from a police Facebook account as "fatties".

She told the panel: "I have no explanation for it, it's wholly inappropriate.

"I'm just really embarrassed that has my name on it and that I have sent these things."

Sgt Wilson and PC Trent admit misconduct, but not to the level of gross misconduct.

They also deny their conduct breached standards of professional behaviour in relation to equality and diversity.

Dorset Police said the messages came to light in 2022 and the force referred the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in July 2022.

The IOPC held an independent investigation, which concluded in November 2023 and found the officers "have a case to answer for gross misconduct".

The hearing continues.

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