PC given final warning over 'disrespectful' texts

PC Matt Downes' sent WhatsApp messages that were "discriminatory to a female member of the public"

A police officer who sent "disrespectful" WhatsApp messages about a female member of the public has been given a final written warning.

PC Matt Downes of Northamptonshire Police was the subject of a four-day gross misconduct disciplinary hearing.

The officer, who attended the hearing, faced allegations of commenting on the "physical appearance and attributes" of the woman while on duty, after attending an incident.

The panel found that PC Downes had breached standards of police behaviour and that his conduct was "unprofessional and inappropriate".

The hearing, at Northamptonshire Police headquarters, heard that on 11 December 2022, PC Downes attended an incident in which a male - referred to as Person A - was alleged to have been causing criminal damage at an address.

This followed a report from a member of the public, who stated that their neighbour had been beaten up and was bleeding from the head, was drunk and was banging on the door as they had lost their key.

The panel also heard that PC Downes had also breached standards around use of force when arresting Person A and pushing him into a police van.

Drooling emoji

After the arrest he sent messages to a WhatsApp group called "Bravo Team", which contained 14 other people, including police officers.

He asked if anyone had noticed a woman at the scene and commented on her breasts, adding emojis depicting a drooling face, a laughing face and wide eyes.

In a report detailing the hearing, the panel found that the messages "fell seriously short of the professional standards expected" of PC Downes.

It said the messages were "extremely inappropriate and the female in question and/or her husband or a member of the public would be shocked if they were to hear about the messages."

The messages in the private group were reported anonymously to Northamptonshire Police.

PC Downes' final written warning will be issued for a period of five years.