Former PC barred for 'appalling' WhatsApp messages

A former South Yorkshire Police student officer who sent misogynistic, racist and lewd messages in a WhatsApp group chat has been barred from the profession.

PC Curtis Farrow sent 27 offensive or sexually inappropriate images and comments to a group chat titled "Cohort Bang Average" between April 2021 and July 2023, an accelerated misconduct hearing was told.

The officer, who was based in Sheffield, sent his first inappropriate message less than a month after he had started his Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship.

Chief Constable Lauren Poultney concluded Farrow's "extremely disappointing and concerning" conduct would have resulted in dismissal without notice had he not already resigned.

Farrow, who had admitted sending the messages but denied his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct, chose not to attend the hearing.

Messages sent to the group chat, which consisted of other student officers from his training programme, included offensive references to the Falklands War and Madeleine McCann, who disappeared when she was three years old in 2007.

Many of Farrow's comments were discriminatory, racist and misogynistic, the panel heard, and often lewd or sexually inappropriate.

On one occasion he shared an image of a deceased person with a neck injury, while on another Farrow told his peers: "The fallout from Wayne Couzens is a joke".

Couzens, a former Metropolitan Police officer, is currently serving a whole-life term for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard.

Ms Poultney said she was "appalled" to read the messages Farrow had sent.

She said his conduct had been conscious, intentional and a blatant disregard of the standards police officers must uphold.

"In my opinion the only appropriate outcome would have been dismissal without notice," she said.

"He will be placed on the College of Policing's barred list."

This means Farrow cannot work for the police again in any capacity.

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