London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Police officer took selfies at murder scene and sent racist WhatsApp images

Police officer took selfies at murder scene and sent racist WhatsApp images

Exclusive: Tribunal details litany of offences over six years by PC Ryan Connolly, who resigned from Merseyside force before hearing

A police officer took selfies at a murder scene where a teenager had been stabbed to death, and sent “appalling” racist, homophobic and offensive images via WhatsApp, the Guardian has learned.

PC Ryan Connolly from the Merseyside force committed a litany of disciplinary offences over a six-year period while a serving officer, a tribunal has decided.

While on duty, he also took photos on his mobile phone of people in mental health crisis, in hospitals, who had been sectioned under police powers.

His case echoes that of the two Metropolitan police officers who used their mobile phones to take pictures at the scene where two sisters lay murdered. The pair were convicted in court and sacked in a case that rocked policing.

Details of Connolly’s wrongdoing have been confirmed by Merseyside police after inquiries by the Guardian.

The Merseyside force said Connolly’s actions had undermined public confidence in policing, and were an “insult” to the majority of officers who served the public with distinction.

The discipline tribunal found Connolly guilty of gross misconduct. He had resigned before the November hearing, and after the tribunal he was formally sacked by Merseyside police.

Merseyside police said their anti-corruption unit had caught Connolly and his “offensive behaviour”. Connolly had also had an association with a known criminal without informing his bosses.

Connolly joined the force in January 2003 and had served under the police identification number 2133.

According to papers lodged with the tribunal, his offending against police rules began in 2014.

Connolly was accused of a litany of offences, mainly involving his personal Samsung mobile phones.

The discipline panel found that Connolly took photos, or had images on his phone he should not have had, and that he frequently shared them.

Its findings included:

*  Connolly had photos and graphics that were grossly racist, and one depicting Muslim people. He also had an image of a Ku Klux Klan member.

*  In 2016 and again in 2017, while on duty, he took photos on his mobile of men detained by police under mental health powers, who were in hospital, and shared it via WhatsApp.

*  While on duty he took and sent a photo of men in hospital on at least two occasions.

*  He took photos of people who had been arrested.

*  In October 2015 he took a photo, while on duty, of someone who had slashed their wrists, and shared it via WhatsApp.

*  He took a photo of a fellow officer’s rear and shared it via WhatsApp.

*  In 2016 he sent a graphic homophobic message.

*  He took photos in 2018 of himself at a murder scene where he had been assigned to guard the cordon after a teenager had been stabbed to death.

*  He took photos of crime victims, including someone missing from home, and shared details about a woman who went to police for help alleging she had suffered domestic violence.

*  Other images mocked disabled people.

He was cleared of trying to acquire cannabis while a serving officer.

When interviewed by detectives from professional standards, Connolly made no comment.

Before the discipline hearing, he provided a written statement, saying he did not know why offensive images were on his phone.

Merseyside police’s deputy chief constable, Ian Critchley, said: “Connolly had taken photographs of vulnerable people on his personal phone whilst on duty … This breached the duty of confidence; lacked honesty and integrity and through his discreditable conduct he has undermined public confidence.

“Between 2015 and 2018 Connolly stored images on his personal phone that were racist, homophobic and severely offensive and on some occasions had shared those images.

“Connolly maintained contact with a known criminal and did not disclose the relationship… as a result, by socialising and associating with the criminal, brought the service into disrepute.”

Critchley added: “An investigation by our anti-corruption unit uncovered the fact that Connolly had been using his own phone to take photographs of vulnerable people whilst on duty and that the phone also contained appalling homophobic, racist and offensive images.”

He added: “The behaviour of this officer is deplorable and serves to undermine the public’s confidence and trust in the police.

“Our officers carry out exceptionally brave selfless acts every single day, protecting the most vulnerable people in our communities, yet here we see the despicable acts of a very selfish individual who has no place in our police service.”

Police said the pictures from the murder scene only showed Connolly and did not show the teenage murder victim.

Merseyside police say they will enhance their vetting procedures following the case.

Connolly, in a written statement to the tribunal, said he could not recall the offensive images, after they were shown to him during interview by detectives, or how they came to be on his phone.

He added: “I do have the insight to know that the images should not have been in my possession.

“This has been a learning experience for me to be more mindful of the WhatsApp groups that I am in and being more aware [of the] material that is sent to me.”

Connolly’s phone were seized in February 2020 by detectives from Merseyside’s anti-corruption unit.

He resigned before the discipline tribunal in November, which ruled he would have been sacked if still a serving officer. He is barred for life from rejoining the service.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×