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The University of Derby has suspended six students over alleged comments made in an online forum.

The male students are accused of making rape-related comments about other female students at the university.

It is understood five of the suspended students are on a policing course.

The sixth suspended student is studying business.

A spokesman for the university said: “We were incredibly disappointed to see the degrading and offensive language used in online forums about some of our female students.

"Such behaviour is unacceptable, will not be tolerated and is being addressed with the utmost urgency.

"The male students involved in making these comments have been suspended and we are working with an external specialist agency to carry out a full and formal investigation.

"We are following our Sexual Misconduct Policy and processes to ensure this is conducted fairly and thoroughly, and have offered support to the female students affected by this.”

Derbyshire police confirmed two of the accused students have worked for the force as special constables. These are volunteer police officers with the same powers as regular officers.

Three others are volunteer police officers at another force.

The Derbyshire police spokesman said: "We have been made aware of a social media post relating to remarks made by a number of individuals.

"Two of the individuals alleged to have been involved in these remarks are current Derbyshire Constabulary Special Constables and enquiries are ongoing into their conduct - as well as possible criminal offences that may have taken place.

"The two special constables from Derbyshire have been immediately suspended from duty and staff from the force’s counter corruption unit are liaising with another force in relation to others mentioned in the posts.

"The type of language seen in these comments is completely unacceptable and the organisation utterly condemns it.

"The force, and the public, expects the highest standards of behaviour from our officers, staff and volunteers, whether on or off-duty, on social media or otherwise.

"Those found not to have upheld our standards will be dealt with robustly through either criminal, or misconduct, procedures."

The six students were allegedly part of a forum called "you’re ****** gettin it”.



Messages seen by Derbyshire Live refer to the carrying out of indecent sexual acts.



A friend of one of the female students who was subjected to the alleged comments told Derbyshire Live: “The messages on the group chat have completely ruined the girls’ self-confidence and self-esteem.



“This, coming from people who plan on being future police officers within this country, is disgraceful and not acceptable.”

