Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it was investigating the conduct of five serving officers and a former Metropolitan Police officer on a Whatsapp group.
According to
report, the police watchdog is reportedly investigating homophobic, racist, and
misogynist messages Sarah Everard’s killer is alleged to have exchanged with
police colleagues.
They are
alleged to have exchanged “discriminatory messages” over the course of seven
months in 2019.
The messages
were discovered during the police investigation into Ms Everard’s murder.
Wayne Couzens,
a former Met officer was given whole-life prison term for the kidnap, rape and
murder of the 33-year-old marketing executive on Wednesday.
The Times
reported he is the former officer linked to the Whatsapp group under investigation.
He is alleged
to have exchanged misogynistic, racist, and homophobic with colleagues,
according to the newspaper.
Three of the
serving officers under investigation by the IOPC are from the Met, another from
Norfolk Constabulary and the final one from Civil Nuclear Constabulary, where
Couzens used to work.
“They are being
investigated for gross misconduct for allegedly sending messages of a
discriminatory and/or inappropriate nature, and for allegedly failing to
challenge the messages sent by the others,” the IOPC said in an update on its
linked investigations following Couzens’ sentencing.
Two of the Met
officers and the former Met officer have also been notified they are being
criminally investigated “for improper use of the public electronic
communications network”, the watchdog said.
The Met is also
investigating whether Couzens committed more crimes before he kidnapped, raped
and murdered Ms Everard.
The force has
also admitted a previous allegation of indecent exposure may have been missed
during his vetting process.
Couzens was
also linked to an indecent exposure incident at a McDonald’s in Kent just 72
hours before Ms Everard was abducted in March.
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