A former Metropolitan Police officer made derogatory comments about Katie Price’s son in a WhatsApp group, a misconduct hearing has heard.

Eight serving and former officers attached to the South East Command Unit allegedly used a WhatsApp group, entitled “Secret Squirrel S***”, between May 2016 and June 2018 to post comments that were sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and “applauded sexual violence against women”.

Former sergeant Luke Thomas, former acting sergeant Luke Allen, former PC Kelsey Buchan, former PC Carlo Francisco, former PC Lee South, former PC Darren Jenner, PC Glynn Rees and Officer B, who has been granted anonymity, faced a gross misconduct hearing in Fulham today.

All eight are subject to three allegations and are said to have breached standards of professional behaviour in relation to equality and diversity, authority, respect and courtesy, challenging and reporting improper conduct and discreditable conduct.

Thomas, who was the highest rankest ranking officer in the WhatsApp group, made several posts about Price’s son Harvey, who suffers from Prader-Willi syndrome and autism.

The disciplinary panel heard that Thomas referred to the former Brighton glamour model’s son and mocked his weight.

The 44-year-old TV personality shared an image of a letter detailing the misconduct on her Instagram story last week.

The letter, dated January 26, from an investigator from the Discrimination Investigation Unit within the Professional Standards Department of the Met Police, informed Ms Price that “a number of Metropolitan Police officers are alleged to have breached the standards of professional behaviour in regards to discreditable conduct for being part of a WhatsApp group chat that has posted inappropriate and derogatory images of your son, Harvey Price”.

In the group chat, officers also allegedly referred to disabled people as “retards” and “spastics” and called wheelchairs “mong scooters”.

Three former officers - Thomas, Allen and South - admit gross misconduct for all allegations.

Francisco admits gross misconduct for the first allegation and misconduct for the other two.

Serving officer Rees and former officer Buchan admit misconduct for all allegations.

Officer B denies the first allegation and admits misconduct for all allegations.

Former PC Jenner has not engaged with the misconduct hearing and the police have taken that to mean he does not admit either misconduct nor gross misconduct.

The hearing continues.