The head of the Met’s Black Police Association (MBPA) has been dismissed for misconduct over a group chat in which racist and misogynistic messages were sent and received.
Former Inspector Charles Ehikioya, from Shirley, Croydon, was in a WhatsApp group chat with former officer Carlo Francisco where the offensive messages were shared between 2017 and 2020.
Mr Francisco was dismissed in 2022 for an unrelated matter involving discreditable conduct, the Met said.
A panel found Mr Ehikioya’s conduct amounted to a breach of the standards of professional behaviour, following a hearing at Palestra House, Southwark, which concluded on Friday of last week.
Speaking after the hearing, Mr Ehikioya said he “categorically” denied the allegations. He argued the claims against him were fabricated due to his race or MBPA position and said he intends to appeal, according to the BBC.
During the hearing the panel heard that Mr Ehikioya sent a significant number of videos, images, memes and messages of an “inappropriate nature”. Many were pornographic, included scenes of violence, or were misogynistic.
Offensive messages were also directed at Mr Ehikioya in the group chat. But at no point did he appropriately challenge the behaviour, the Met said.
In a message sent in April 2019, Mr Ehikioya allegedly warned Mr Francisco: “Yo, you need to stop sending or receiving these silly porns, before you get into trouble with work.
“Because someone you know or don’t know might decide to shop you brov… I have seen and read lately people getting shopped by others.
“There’s even reference to WhatsApp messages shared… Be warned brov.”
The conversation first came to light after another officer’s phone was seized in December 2020.
Officers downloaded the contents of the phone and found a “concerning” WhatsApp conversation.
A check on the number sending and receiving messages as part of the conversation revealed that Mr Ehikioya was the owner of the phone it was linked to.
An investigation was launched by the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards which referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The watchdog then decided it was suitable for the Met to investigate.
A file of evidence was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service which determined it did not meet the criminal threshold.
At the end of June 2024, Mr Ehikioya was formally notified of the Met’s intention to hold a misconduct hearing.
Ahead of the hearing, Mr Ehikioya provided the argument he would use in his defence including a claim that the messages had been fabricated to frame him.
This prompted a further review of the data that had been extracted from his device in which specialist officers retrieved thumbnails of some of the images.
During the hearing, Mr Ehikioya was unable to explain how these thumbnails came to be on his device.
The panel found that Mr Ehikioya’s argument, that the messages exchanged had been fabricated, was not credible.
Panel chairman Commander Jason Prins said:“Inspector Ehikioya’s actions were intentional and deliberate.
“He would have been aware that those views, if they became known, would have caused harm and had a significant negative impact on public confidence in the Met.
“The public would be shocked and appalled to find that a serving officer could hold and express such harmful, detrimental, discriminatory and derogatory views and opinions.
“His actions are considered to be of an extremely serious nature for which he is highly culpable.”
Pictured top: Charles Ehikioya speaks to press after the misconduct hearing at Palestra House where he was dismissed without notice for gross misconduct (Picture: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo)