North Yorkshire Police said racist comments made by two officers have 'no place in any society'

Police Constable James Mills and Detective Constable Danielle Kirby were sacked for gross misconduct, following a four-day disciplinary hearing at the force’s headquarters in Northallerton.

The force said PC Mills demonstrated an “appallingly racist attitude” when he sent offensive messages and images to his colleague between December 2018 and March 2019, while he was off duty.

DC Kirby agreed with a number of his remarks and “added her own racist comments”, the force added.

In one message, PC Mills said: “At the risk of sounding a bit racist, don’t you think Africa is wasted on black *****.”

The detective replied: “That’s a bit random but yes it is.”

He said: “Sorry watching David Attenborough and can’t believe what oxygen thieves Africans really are.”

She replied: “My family used to live out there and it looked amazing but then all the Africans started to kill them, so they had to move. I’ve still got some family out there but it’s too dangerous to go to see them.”

In another message, the police constable referred to euthanasia and said Hitler “definitely had the right idea”.

The force said the officers, who had previously unblemished records, had damaged their own reputations but also undermined public confidence in the police.

According to the force's ruling, both officers “recognised wrongdoing” and accepted the messages were racist, but there was “no insight, apology, or any demonstration of contrition”.

It added: “References to euthanasia and that Hitler had the right idea demonstrate a state of mind that has no place in any society and when such comments are made by a serving police officer, they are wholly intolerable.”

Lawyers representing the officers had claimed that they should not have faced a disciplinary hearing because the messages were obtained unlawfully.

Gerry Sydenham, who chaired the misconduct panel, said: "The messages exchanged by former PC Mills and former DC Kirby contained appalling racist comments which were egregious in nature and content.

“The corrosive effect of such racist gross misconduct upon public confidence in policing cannot be understated.

“It is intolerable and devastating to the good work of other police officers who try daily to build the public's trust and confidence in policing.”