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Two Gwent Police officers resigned from the force just days before they faced a misconduct hearing into the sharing of misogynistic, homophobic and racist WhatsApp messages.

PCs James Heley and Simon Lewis would have been dismissed were they still serving following an investigatoin by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

At the end of the one-day misconduct hearing, held on Monday March 2, former officers Heley and Lewis were found to have breached police standards of professional behaviour relating to: ‘authority, respect and courtesy; equality and diversity and discreditable conduct’.

Both former officers, who quit on Friday after being suspended since November 2022, have now been placed on the police barred list. 

Gwent Police referred the matter to the IOPC in November 2022 after the messages were found on the phone of former police sergeant Ricky Jones, who took his own life in January 2020.

His family came forward with the phone after suffering years of controlling behaviour from him, but felt unable to go to the police because of Jones’ links. Instead, they took their concerns to The Sunday Times.

The investigation by the police watchdog included 11 serving and former officers, who had exchanged WhatsApp messages between April 2015 and February 2019. The messages in the group included racist comments relating to the Grenfell Tower disaster; with PC Heley sharing a video portraying violence against a woman, while PC Lewis made homophobic remarks linked to a colleague’s trip to Thailand.

IOPC Director Derrick Campbell: “Many of the messages shared within the WhatsApp group over several years were discriminatory, wholly inappropriate, and unprofessional. 

“The misogyny, homophobia and racism revealed within these messages was shocking, completely unacceptable and has no place in policing. This behaviour and the attitudes it exposed has the real potential to undo the great work undertaken by police officers on a daily basis, including those who seek to build trust and confidence with communities, especially communities who are harder to reach and those representing minority groups.”

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.”

A gross misconduct hearing is yet to be held for a former officer who also allegedly exchanged offensive messages in the group.