Hertfordshire PC dismissed for 'racist' Facebook posts

A Hertfordshire police officer who aired racist, sexist and homophobic views on Facebook has been dismissed.

PC Torson Sharp's conduct between January and July last year fell below the standards of professional behaviour, a misconduct hearing ruled.

The Hitchin officer's posts were reported to the police by a member of the public who described them as "disturbing, concerning and racist".

Chief Constable Charlie Hall said Mr Sharp's behaviour had been "shocking".

Delivering the verdict, he added: "I found the behaviour described to me completely unbecoming of a police officer. He frankly should have known better."

Mr Sharp had received a verbal warning for his "extreme right-wing views" when he served as a PCSO, before becoming a PC.

He had already resigned from the Force earlier this year.

During a hearing at Hertfordshire Constabulary HQ in Welwyn Garden City, he admitted uploading a mixture of posts and comments online but said he did not mean to offend anyone.

'No sympathy'

The panel heard Mr Sharp had shared a post by Traditional Britain Group about a 20-year-old black man who died after being stopped by police in East London.

He commented: "Nothing of value was lost."

The officer also shared a Daily Mail article about a plus-size model and wrote: "Fat balloon. If it looks fat, smells fat, it is fat."

On another occasion, Mr Sharp said he he had "no sympathy" for a woman who was raped and murdered by a refugee.

One of the posts was shared on Facebook two days after he had completed his Equality Act training.

Det Con Pete Rivers, from the Professional Standards Authority, said Mr Sharp had deleted his Facebook account in an "effort to conceal his actions".

He also told how the officer's behaviour had come at a time when the relationship between police and black and ethnic minorities was "at its most fragile".