Five former Met Police officers plead guilty over racist WhatsApps about Meghan Markle

Five former Metropolitan Police officers have pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to sending grossly offensive racist messages on WhatsApp, including about the Duchess of Sussex.

They entered their guilty pleas at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday afternoon.

Robert Lewis, from Camberley, Surrey, admitted eight counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages.

The 62-year-old retired from the Met in May 2015 and became a Home Office official before he was dismissed for gross misconduct last November, according to the government department.

Anthony Elsom, from Bournemouth, Dorset, pleaded guilty to three counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages.

The 67-year-old retired from the Met in May 2012.

Peter Booth, from Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, pleaded guilty to four counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages.

The 66-year-old retired from the Met in April 2001.

Alan Hall, from Stowmarket, Suffolk, entered guilty pleas to three counts of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages.

The 65-year-old retired from the Met in June 2015.

Trevor Lewton, from Swansea, South Wales, pleaded guilty to one count of sending by public communication grossly offensive racist messages.

The 65-year-old retired from the Met in August 2009.

According to the charges, some of the messages shared in the chat referenced the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the late Queen and Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, as well as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, former Home Secretary Priti Patel and former Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

The charges, which relate to messages shared between September 2020 and 2022, come after a BBC Newsnight investigation in October last year that prompted a probe by the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards.

The officers, who retired between 2001 and 2015, were charged by post with offences under the Communications Act 2003.

The five men were not serving at any point during their participation in the group, the Met made clear.

It added that they served in various parts of the Met throughout their careers and all spent time in what is now known as the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command.

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