Sacked cop sang homophobic version of Last Christmas
Leon Cunningham previously worked at Reading police station
- Published
A police officer who sang a “clearly homophobic and offensive” version of Wham!'s Last Christmas to colleagues has been sacked.
Former PC Leon Cunningham worked for Thames Valley Police in Reading, Berkshire, from November 2010.
A panel found in a separate conversation with colleagues, he implied that being gay was "a choice” and referred to two female colleagues by an offensive term in a text message.
The panel concluded if the “well-respected and liked” officer was not sacked, it would “clearly undermine public trust and confidence in policing”.
Andrew Ridgeley (left) and George Michael released Last Christmas as Wham! in December 1984
Mr Cunningham admitted he replaced the lyrics to the Christmas classic in November 2022 as it was being played on a radio in a police office.
Some colleagues disputed his version of events, with one senior officer saying he mentioned the word “bum”.
A senior officer said he told Mr Cunningham to stop singing "homophobic songs".
The panel also found he implied being gay was "a choice, rather than natural” in an earlier conversation with colleagues in April 2022.
He admitted using the offensive word in a text message, also in November 2022, but he said while the reference was "objectively offensive... he did not intend to imply anything negative or sexual when using the term".
The panel said Mr Cunningham’s response to the allegations “failed to demonstrate any insight or reflections about his proven behaviour nor provide any reassurance” about what he had learned from the proceedings.
It found his conduct was “serious and clearly poses a potential risk of repetition to colleagues and members of the public with protected characteristics”.
Karimulla Akbar Khan, the panel's chairman, said if Mr Cunningham had been left to serve as a police officer, it would have sent “the wrong message that such conduct will be tolerated” in the force.
The panel said Mr Cunningham should be added to the College of Policing's barred list.
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