Ex Met police officer from Hampshire convicted over foul racist WhatsApp message in group chat

By Freddie Webb
Published 6th Nov 2023, 14:13 BST
Updated 6th Nov 2023, 14:49 BST
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A former police officer has been convicted over a foul racist WhatsApp message.

Michael Chadwell, a former Metropolitan Police officer from Liss, Hampshire, was found guilty after a trial at City of London Magistrates’ Court today (November 6). The 62-year-old originally denied one count of sending by public communication a grossly offensive racist message.

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Court heard on September 28, 2022, that Chadwell shared the post in a group chat with former Met colleagues. He forwarded a graphic into the group, which had been created by someone else and shared on social media, showing a picture of different coloured parrots above an image of children of different races.

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Former Metropolitan Police officer Michael Chadwell arriving at the City Of London Magistrates' Court. He has been convicted of sending a grossly offensive racist message and is due to be sentenced at the same court this afternoon. Picture: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire.Former Metropolitan Police officer Michael Chadwell arriving at the City Of London Magistrates' Court. He has been convicted of sending a grossly offensive racist message and is due to be sentenced at the same court this afternoon. Picture: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire.
Former Metropolitan Police officer Michael Chadwell arriving at the City Of London Magistrates' Court. He has been convicted of sending a grossly offensive racist message and is due to be sentenced at the same court this afternoon. Picture: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire.

Text on the images said “Why do we cherish the variety of colour in every species… but our own?”, underneath which a comment in response said “because I have never had a bike stolen out of my front yard by a parrot”. District Judge Tan Ikram said: “He thought it was funny but it was grossly offensive and he was aware of that at the time, that is why I find the defendant guilty of this offence.”

Chadwell is due to be sentenced at the same court this afternoon alongside five co-defendants. They are all former Met officers, who last month admitted sending grossly offensive racist messages.