Cornwall firefighters sacked over bullying, racism and pornographic WhatsApp messages

Five Cornish firefighters have been sacked following an investigation which revealed how bullying, racism and sexual messaging was rife in messages shared between them.

Pornographic images, pictures of sex toys and perverse "banter" messages were exchanged in WhatsApp groups by the now struck-off firefighters from Lostwithiel Fire Station.

They became the subject of an 18-month disciplinary investigation by Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service which eventually led to the sacking of five firefighters.

The misconduct inquiry was launched to look at the firefighters’ behaviour following a complaint involving a junior member of the team.

The messaging groups were understood to have originally been set up as a communication tool for all firefighters at Lostwithiel Community Fire Station for day-to-day tasks such as checking who was available and assigning jobs and tasks, such as equipment checks or kit cleaning, to various team members.

But over several months claims were made that a junior member had become the target of a small group of more experienced firefighters who put him down, insulted him and criticised the quality of his work as a junior firefighter.

Some of the messages told the junior firefighter to take explicit photographs and share them with the group. The younger firefighter never complied.

A whistleblower - who knew the junior firefighter affected - said equipment checks were always supposed to be done with another assigned member of staff. But, they said, the junior team member was forced into a position of either not checking the breathing apparatus sets or doing them alone as one of his mentors was also one of his bullies.

More than the bullying - which some of the firefighters defended as a "bit of banter" and "gallows humour" that kept them sane while facing dangerous situations - it was the pornography and inciting a junior firefighter to commit a sexual offence which saw the five suspended, then sacked, following the investigation.

Several appeals and an employment tribunal all upheld Cornwall Council’s decision to dismiss them for misconduct.

At one point during the chat one firefighter, who was not the subject of the investigations, reminded everyone to tone it down and keep it professional.

In a message, they wrote: "It has been decided that this group chat will be ended. We feel it is not always used for what it was meant to be used for and some comments, although may be meant as a joke, could be deemed as offensive and personal, which could result in problems for us all.”

The group was deleted but another one was set up where the issues continued.

On a separate occasion, one firefighter used a racial slur, saying he's tired "having run like a n*****" the previous night.

When he later apologised to the group saying it is "unacceptable in this day and age", a colleague says he needs not apologise as "hopefully the whole station knows it was lighthearted. #Cornish #n*****".

Another firefighter then asked for the posts to be deleted as they were "inappropriate and offensive".

Statement from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service has completed a disciplinary process after reports of inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour by five firefighters.

Following a detailed investigation carried out in line with the service’s HR policies, it was found that the officers’ behaviour fell far below the standards expected from staff.

Based on these findings, the firefighters were summarily dismissed from the service, a decision which has been upheld following several appeals.

Chief Fire Officer Kathryn Billing said: “Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service is honoured to enjoy the respect of our public, and I am determined to ensure that we never do anything to jeopardise that hard-earned and privileged position.

“I do not take the use of such sanctions lightly, but the standards shown in this case were so far below those we expect, there was no choice but to take this action.

“Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service cannot and will not condone inappropriate behaviour and will always take reports of these incidents seriously.”

Cllr Martyn Alvey, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder with responsibility for the fire service, said: “This action shows just how seriously the service takes its responsibility to be a respectful and inclusive employer, and that anyone whose standards fall below those demanded must expect consequences as a result.”