Another Greater Manchester Police officer has resigned in disgrace after a misconduct hearing found he exchanged racist, misogynistic and ableist messages in group chats. The officer, referred to only as 'Officer X', would have been sacked had he not already left the force, Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson ruled. The hearing was held at GMP headquarters last Tuesday (June 2), and the officer was granted anonymity, meaning the public and local communities including Oldham will never know his identity.

In a letter published after the hearing, Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said it was a 'matter of fact' that the former officer had, 'over a protracted period, exchanged numerous group chat messages with a variety of associates.' The messages included texts, photographs and voice messages which were 'demonstrably and incontrovertibly racist, misogynistic and ableist'. He added that the content also referred to the officer having consumed illegal drugs, being inclined to misuse his position to pursue inappropriate sexual relationships, and failing to censure or dissociate himself from similar content posted by his associates.

Chief Constable Watson described the officer's behaviour as 'persistent', 'repeated', 'deliberate' and 'unforced', and said he could find no mitigation whatsoever. He described the messages as 'puerile, base and borderline illiterate'. The officer's conduct, he said, 'reflects almost entirely precisely which has given rise to recent public concern as to similar examples of egregious misconduct.' He concluded: 'It is clear to me he ought never to have been recruited in the first instance.'

The officer resigned from the force on May 11 and was not present or represented at the hearing. Chief Constable Watson ruled he would have been dismissed with immediate effect had he not already left. He has been placed on the College of Policing barred list, meaning he cannot work in policing in the future. However, the document outlining the hearing does not explain why the officer was granted anonymity, a step that has drawn criticism from those seeking transparency.

For residents in Oldham and across Greater Manchester, this case adds to ongoing concerns about police culture and the disciplinary process. While the force has stressed that the officer was a probationary officer and should never have been recruited, the decision to withhold his name means there is no public accountability for his actions. Local community groups have repeatedly called for greater openness in such cases to rebuild trust.

This is the latest in a series of GMP misconduct hearings where officers have been granted anonymity. Last month, the Manchester Evening News reported that a PC who sexually assaulted a woman in Stockport after she told him to stop was also granted anonymity and would have been sacked had he not resigned. An application by the M.E.N. to lift that anonymity order was rejected. Since the turn of the year, five GMP officers accused of sexual misconduct or harassment of women have been sacked or resigned in disgrace.

The chief constable has acknowledged that the former officer's behaviour 'reflects almost entirely precisely which has given rise to recent public concern'. For Oldham residents, who rely on GMP to keep their communities safe, these revelations are deeply troubling. The issue of police vetting and conduct continues to be a live concern across the region, with many asking what more can be done to ensure such individuals do not slip through the net in future.