Nottingham attacks: Officers disciplined for 'crude' WhatsApp message

Two police officers have been disciplined over a WhatsApp message, described as "crude and distasteful", related to the Nottingham attacks.

Ian Coates, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber were killed by Valdo Calocane on 13 June last year.

PC Matthew Gell received a final warning, while another officer received "management intervention".

Mr Webber's mother Emma said it was an "abhorrent way" to conduct an investigation.

She told BBC Breakfast the families "hadn't been made aware" of the data breach.

In a statement, Mrs Webber said she and the other victims' families were "utterly horrified" at the development.

"It's another car crash for [Nottinghamshire Police] isn't it," she said. "This has been added to the list of other grave concerns and deceptions we have faced from this constabulary."

Nottinghamshire Police said its professional standards directorate found one message posted on WhatsApp, and "took action immediately".

Deputy Chief Constable Steve Cooper said: "Some of the words were crude and distasteful.

"After a thorough review by Professional Standards Directorate (PSD), one other officer was subject to management intervention. No other officers were found to have committed misconduct.

"It is vitally important that the public are made aware of any action by an officer who falls below the extremely high standards we set and that is why these misconduct hearings are held in public.

"All officers have been reminded of the appropriate use of WhatsApp as a result of this misconduct hearing."

The misconduct hearing previously heard PC Gell used systems to look up 32-year-old Calocane following his arrest.

The PC's hearing also found he breached strict professional policing standards by sharing information about the case in a text message on 13 June.

He admitted his "lapse of judgement" amounted to gross misconduct.

PC Gell was subsequently issued with a final written warning.

Calocane was sentenced to a hospital order last month after admitting three counts of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility.

He also admitted the attempted murder of three others who were hit by a van.

The case has prompted a series of reviews into the NHS, police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), with the families of the three victims calling for a public inquiry.

Meanwhile, an inspection into the CPS's involvement in the case has been widened after requests were made by the families of the victims, said His Majesty's Crown Prosecution Inspectorate (HMCPSI), which is carrying out the review.

The scope of the inspection will now look at any interaction Calocane had with the CPS, not just matters related to events on day of the attack.

The HMCPSI will also investigate the prosecutions' decision to accept a manslaughter plea, and whether the CPS met its duties to consult with families ahead of accepting pleas.

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