A British police officer who shared material that was deemed “grossly offensive and racist” via WhatsApp has been jailed for 20 weeks.
On Tuesday, former West Mercia Police officer James Watts was sentenced following a hearing at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court in the West Midlands.
At an earlier hearing, he had pleaded guilty to 10 counts of sending a grossly offensive message via a public communication network which was contrary to Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003.
The police investigation began in June 2020 following a referral from West Mercia Police after intelligence was received by the force.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), a non-departmental public body in England and Wales that investigates the most “serious and sensitive incidents and allegations involving the police” released a statement saying that the “content of these messages will disturb many people both within and outside the police service.”…