Gwent Police officers shared 'vile' and 'shocking' messages, hearing told

A misconduct hearing has revealed that officers from Gwent Police exchanged offensive messages targeting gay and transgender individuals, as well as sharing content that demeaned and depicted violence against women. The professional standards panel overseeing the case disclosed that two constables, James Heley and Simon Lewis, resigned just before they were set to be dismissed for their actions.

Chief Constable Mark Hobrough condemned the messages as “vile” and “shocking,” stating that the ex-officers had “brought shame” upon the police force. According to John-Paul Waite, who represented Gwent Police’s Professional Standards Department, Heley was involved in sharing and receiving texts that objectified women, mocked LGBTQ+ people, and ridiculed individuals based on race. The hearing highlighted that Heley had failed to report or challenge such behavior, even though some messages within a WhatsApp group were laden with offensive language, including racist and homophobic slurs.

Simon Lewis was also reported to have been active in the same WhatsApp groups, contributing messages that belittled transgender women and people of South East Asian descent, alongside the use of derogatory terms aimed at gay individuals. The panel emphasized that maintaining public trust and upholding professional standards are critical, especially as ensuring women feel confident in the police service is a pressing societal concern. Waite stressed the importance of officers confronting misconduct, warning that ignoring such behavior fuels perceptions of policing as a “chauvinistic boys’ club” and damages public confidence.

Despite the officers’ resignations, the misconduct proceedings continued, resulting in findings of gross misconduct. All accusations against Lewis were confirmed at this level, while two out of three allegations against Heley met the same standard, with a third partially upheld. The panel ruled that both men would have faced immediate dismissal had they remained with the force and issued decisions to place them on the police barred list, banning them from future policing roles. Chief Constable Hobrough reaffirmed the force’s commitment to cultural reform, stating, “My mission is to restore trust with our communities by building an inclusive organisation that genuinely cares for and engages with everyone in our communities.” He pledged to lead a police service that firmly opposes racism, homophobia, and misogyny

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