Six former Metropolitan Police officers have been charged with sending grossly offensive racist messages on WhatsApp, the force said.
The six men have been charged by post with offences under the Communications Act 2003 and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday September 7.
In a statement, the Met said: “As a result of the investigation, it was established that from August 2018 until September 2022, inappropriate communications were shared within a closed WhatsApp group.
“The six men charged were not serving at any point during their participation in the group.
“They served in various parts of the Met throughout their careers but all spent time in the Diplomatic Protection Group, now known as the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command.”
The charges come after a BBC Newsnight investigation in October last year.
The six men are:
– Peter Booth, 66, of Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, who has been charged with four counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages. He retired from the Met in April 2001.
– Robert Lewis, 62, of Camberley, Surrey, who has been charged with eight counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages. He retired from the Met in May 2015.
– Anthony Elsom, 67, of Bournemouth, Dorset, who has been charged with three counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages. He retired from the Met in May 2012.
– Alan Hall, 65, of Stowmarket, Suffolk, who has been charged with three counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages. He retired from the Met in June 2015.
– Michael Chadwell, 62, of Liss, Hampshire, who has been charged with one count of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages. He retired from the Met in November 2015.
– Trevor Lewton, 65, of Swansea, South Wales, who has been charged with one count of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages. He retired from the Met in August 2009.
