London — A Metropolitan Police officer has been dismissed following gross misconduct for participating in offensive WhatsApp chats that mocked Harvey Price, the disabled son of media personality Katie Price.
In 2023, Officer Carlo Francisco was found to have committed gross misconduct after sharing messages in multiple group chats that targeted Harvey, 22, who has autism, septo-optic dysplasia affecting his vision, and Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic disorder causing learning difficulties and behavioural challenges.
Some of Francisco’s messages included a video suggesting that Harvey was on drugs.
This week, Inspector Charles Ehikioya, a former chairman of the Metropolitan Black Police Association, was also dismissed after a misconduct panel found he had exchanged racist, sexist, and inappropriate messages with Francisco between 2017 and 2020.
The messages, totalling over 7,000, included jokes about having sex with a girl with Down’s syndrome, racist remarks about Chinese people, and a comment mocking Muslims using an image of Hugh Hefner with a message referencing 72 virgins.
Ehikioya was further implicated for failing to challenge or report improper behavior.
Although he had previously warned Francisco in 2019 to stop sending “silly porn,” the panel concluded his conduct breached professional standards concerning equality, diversity, and discreditable behaviour.
Commander Jason Prins, who led the panel, said the messages severely damaged public trust in the police, adding that dismissal without notice was the only proportionate sanction. “The panel finds to a large extent that the messages speak for themselves,” Prins stated.
Following the verdict, Katie Price expressed relief on social media, declaring, “Finally some justice for my son @officialmrharveyprice” to her 2.7 million Instagram followers.
Price had previously told Channel 5 News that the officers should be “named and shamed” for their behaviour, adding that they should feel “embarrassed” and “ashamed.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan supported Price, condemning the officers’ actions as “disgusting” and stating that such behavior has no place in the police force.
Ehikioya denied the allegations, claiming the messages had been falsely attributed to him due to his race and his role at the Metropolitan Black Police Association.
However, the panel rejected his defence, finding overwhelming evidence of gross misconduct.
This case marks yet another scandal for the Metropolitan Police, which continues to face scrutiny over discriminatory behavior within its ranks.
