Police officer sent 'horrifying' texts to 'fit in'

A police officer who exchanged transphobic, homophobic, racist and sexist messages with another officer said he was "trying to fit in", a misconduct hearing was told.

Father-of-two PC Gareth Horton exchanged WhatsApp messages between March and July 2023 with a Merseyside Police officer whilst serving with the same force.

PC Horton replied to inappropriate messages with "crying laughing emojis" and sent messages which had "homophobic and violent overtones", the hearing heard.

The police officer was dismissed and banned from policing.

PC Horton moved to Dyfed-Powys Police in October 2023, and had been a soldier before serving in the police force.

He told the hearing at Dyfed-Powys Police's headquarters in Llangunnor, Carmarthenshire, he accepted that he breached professional standards and that it amounted to gross misconduct.

The hearing was told the matter came to light because of a separate investigation into the other officer after his phone was seized.

The first message was sent to PC Horton on 26 March 2023 and included a transphobic advert, the hearing was told, to which he replied with laughing emojis.

Further messages were sent to him, the hearing was told, which PC Horton did not challenge.

On 31 May, PC Horton sent the officer messages which had homophobic overtones referring to the TV presenter Phillip Schofield, the hearing was told.

A few days later, he sent messages with homophobic, racist and violent overtones.

PC Horton told the hearing he was "still trying to fit in and make friends" since he joined Merseyside Police in 2020.

"This really does not represent my true character," he added.

"It's ignorance and stupidity on my behalf. I'm honestly so remorseful."

The force's barrister Katherine Hampshire told the hearing that if the public knew about the messages they would be "rightly horrified".

"You behaved in a manner that would discredit the police service and undermine public confidence," she added.

"Given the seriousness", Ms Hampshire said, "the only outcome would be one of dismissal".

Barrister Susan Ferrier, representing PC Horton, said he accepted in July 2024 the breaches of standards, and that it would amount to gross misconduct.

She said PC Horton "could not be more honest and forthcoming" as he continued to work within the force.

She was critical of the fact that the misconduct process had been accelerated in an "unusual and irregular way".

"This is a young man who has behaved in a bad way, and he knows that, but he has done every single thing within his power to put this right," Ms Ferrier added.

"A final written warning," she said in her submission, "would be the entirely appropriate approach to take".

The chairman of the hearing, Mr Ian Arundale, immediately dismissed PC Horton "given the seriousness" of the messages.

Whilst he said that PC Horton took responsibility for his actions, Mr Arundale told the hearing that the messages were on the "higher end of the scale" in terms of culpability.

Mr Arundale added there was a "pattern of behaviour" against groups that were protected under the Equality Act.

He said that the messages were "discriminatory" and the public would be "horrified".

PC Horton left the hearing with this wife after Mr Arundale delivered his final judgement.

His name will be added to a list of individuals barred for policing.