Police custody sergeant, 47, who sent WhatsApp picture of George Floyd being knelt on by a pornstar is allowed to keep his job after being given final written warning
A police custody sergeant who sent a meme depicting the arrest of George Floyd has kept his job.
Sergeant Geraint Jones, 47, admitted gross misconduct but has been given a final written warning by a police disciplinary panel.
The Devon and Cornwall Police officer was found to have breached professional standards of authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct.
But yesterday, Jones had his 23-year career saved when the panel's chair handed him a final written warning.
Sergeant Geraint Jones, 47, of Devon and Cornwall Police, admitted gross misconduct for sending the message but was only given a final written warning by a disciplinary panel
Sgt Jones, of Torquay, had sent the altered image of a naked adult porn actor in the place of a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd.
Mr Floyd was murdered by Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin during an arrest in May last year.
Jones sent the doctored image of porn star Wardy Joubert III to a WhatsApp group that included six other police officers and two civilian staff.
He was charged with sending a grossly offensive image but was cleared after a trial at Plymouth magistrates court.
Giving evidence in court, Jones said memes were designed to be 'humorous'.
George Floyd, 46, pictured, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota while being arrested by a police officer who knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes
He described how the image of Mr Joubert had featured in many other memes, including scenes showing former US president Donald Trump and the late Captain Sir Tom Moore.
'I knew that meme was going viral at the time and they had seen it in various shapes and forms,' Jones told the court.
'I saw the comedy of it because I found the character amusing and where he turns up.
'Maybe I was after a cheap laugh or trying to raise a smile. I didn't think about it deeply and I didn't look at the image in detail.'
He deleted the 30 May 2020 post and apologised to his colleagues.
Jones, a custody sergeant, sent the meme which featured Mr Floyd's arrest in Minneapolis in the US on May 25, 2020, with an image of American man Wardy Joubert III naked superimposed on it
The Independent Office for Police Conduct who investigated the case said yesterday that Jones's final written warning will remain in place for five years.
IOPC regional director Catrin Evans said: 'The image was bound to cause significant offence, not least without our Black communities.
'It is encouraging that the matter was swiftly reported by a work colleague who rightly called out the behaviour.'
She said it is a reminder that any serving police officer sharing offensive material is unacceptable and that they will be held accountable.
Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said of the outcome: 'Devon & Cornwall Police expect all officers and staff to abide by high standards of ethical behaviour, both on and off duty.
'In this instance, the behaviour of Sgt Jones fell below those expected standards – something that was acknowledged by both the officer and the panel. The officer admitted gross misconduct and accepted that he had sent an image that was deemed to be grossly offensive. He apologised for his conduct at the hearing.
'The panel, led by the independent legally qualified chair, has concluded, based on the information presented to them, the most appropriate outcome was a final written warning.
'All processes are now complete and the officer will be supported to a return to the workplace in due course.'
The police force added that it has already acted upon recommendations from the IOPC concerning guidance to officers and staff on their use of social media and messaging apps.