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Two police officers whose shocking racist text messages were uncovered as a result of the Plebgate inquiry have been sacked from the Met.

The officers - including one from an armed unit which guards Parliament and politicians - were fired after they shared the offensive messages with a colleague.

A panel has dismissed Pc Stephen Newbury and Pc George Cooper without notice after finding their conduct amounted to gross misconduct.

At the height of the 2011 London riots, Pc Newbury was sick with tonsillitis. He was sent a message by another officer who asked him if he was at work.

He replied: “[I’m] Off mate, though had s*** loads of missed calls. Papa Lima [Lewisham] can burn as far as I’m concerned, along with all the spades.”

"Papa Lima [Lewisham] can burn as far as I’m concerned, along with all the spades." Pc Newbury's text sent during the riots

Panel chairman Deputy Assistant Commissioner Maxine de Brunner described the message as “clearly racist”.

Pc Cooper, who worked for the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Unit, and Pc Newbury, who was based in Lewisham, were caught by officers from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards working on Operation Alice, the investigation into the 2012 Plebgate affair.

Pc Newbury was found to have sent 24 improper text messages to another officer and Pc Cooper eight, with the Met saying: “The messages were described as racist and discriminatory in tone and content.”

Pc Cooper, who it had been heard had received a commendation and numerous letters of thanks in his 13-year career, had sent messages including those which DAC de Brunner said contained “dreadful stereotypes depicting all black people as thieves” in 2011 or 2012.

On November 23, 2011 he sent a message to then-PC Trevor Barrett which read: “These little black c**** are really f***** me off, if they want to act like monkeys why don’t they f*** off to the jungle?”

Pc Cooper had claimed not to have sent the messages himself and said his daughter had owned the phone but the panel questioned the truth of his defence as other messages found to have been sent from the same number made reference to details of work.

Details of the messages emerged during one of the first public complaint hearings to be held by Scotland Yard which were opened up after pressure from the Home Secretary.

"If they want to act like monkeys why don’t they f*** off to the jungle?" Racist text sent by Pc Cooper

The shocking content of the texts are deeply damaging to the Met which has struggled for years with allegations of racism.

Pc Newbury was also discovered to have asked another officer to conduct a Police National Computer check on his car for personal reasons, Scotland Yard said.

His defending barrister said the racist text was sent when the officer was “extremely angry” about the disorder in London in August 2011.

He also sent or forwarded a number of other messages which were said to be discriminatory in nature. The content of most were not revealed at the hearing.

Character references from colleagues given for Pc Cooper included one from an Asian officer who described him as “someone all young police officers should look up to”.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Fiona Taylor, from the DPS, said: “We, and the public, expect our officers to maintain the highest possible standards of behaviour.

“The content of the text messages being exchanged between these officers was not only highly inappropriate and discriminatory but in direct contradiction of the values of the MPS. There is no place for officers who hold racist views in London’s police service.”

The content of the text messages being exchanged between these officers was not only highly inappropriate and discriminatory but in direct contradiction of the values of the MPS. There is no place for officers who hold racist views in London’s police service Deputy Assistant Commissioner Fiona Taylor

The men were sacked following a disciplinary hearing yesterday.

Scotland Yard said that Pc Newbury breached its standards in relation to authority, respect and courtesy, equality and diversity, discreditable conduct, confidentiality and orders and instructions.

Cooper was found to have breached standards relating to authority, respect and courtesy, equality and diversity, discreditable conduct and challenging and reporting improper conduct.

The Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Unit was until recently called the Diplomatic Protection Group.

The Met’s website says it provides “overt armed protection in the Capital” and is responsible for protecting the Government, former prime inisters, London’s domestic and foreign diplomatic community and buildings, and visiting heads of state and politicians.

Plebgate was the name given to the furore around Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell after he was accused of being rude to police in Downing Street.

Complaints that the then government chief whip abused officers first emerged in The Sun in September 2012 and he later resigned.

Mr Mitchell denied using the word “plebs” and swearing at officers.It also resulted in a police officer being convicted of misconduct in public office and the dismissal of a number of other officers.