The first officers arriving at the scene of the 2017 London Bridge terror attack faced unimaginable horror. One of those first responders, Detective Constable Mark Luker, has now been dismissed from his post, not for his actions during the attack, but for deeply offensive messages discovered on his phone.
A tribunal revealed Luker repeatedly used derogatory language in a WhatsApp group with colleagues, specifically targeting Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. The messages, sent over a period of months, revealed a pattern of prejudiced associations and harmful stereotypes.
One exchange, triggered by a conversation about a bottle of whiskey with a security tag, led Luker to ask if the raffle was held “on a certain kind of site? Lots of mobile-type homes? Lots of ‘Dags?’” – a reference to a scene in the film *Snatch* used to mock an accent, but carrying a clear, discriminatory undertone.
He then identified a colleague as the “MSOC pikey liaison,” a statement the panel found to be a deliberate link between the Irish Traveller community and criminal activity. The term “pikey” itself is widely recognized as a pejorative slur.
Another message, responding to a video of an Irish parade, saw Luker write he was “off to find some scrap metal, lead roofing and cable.” The panel concluded this was a deliberate and discriminatory attempt to associate the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community with theft.
Luker defended his actions, stating that humor was a coping mechanism following the traumatic events of the London Bridge attack. He claimed he didn’t intend to cause offense and wasn’t inherently racist.
However, the panel rejected this defense, concluding that, given his experience as a police officer, Luker “probably would have known that this was an especially offensive use of language directed towards members of a minority community.”
The tribunal determined his conduct amounted to gross misconduct, ultimately leading to his dismissal. The case highlights the enduring challenge of rooting out prejudice within institutions and the severe consequences of discriminatory language, even in private communications.
The messages, exchanged within a group called ‘Selbie Gumshoes,’ paint a disturbing picture of casual bigotry among some members of the Major Serious and Organised Crime team. The panel’s decision sends a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated.
