Jonathon Cobban and Joel Borders sentenced for sending misogynistic and racist messages, linked to Sarah Everard’s killer
Two former Metropolitan Police officers have been sentenced to 12 weeks in prison for sharing disturbing and offensive messages in a WhatsApp group with Wayne Couzens, the officer responsible for the murder of Sarah Everard. PC Jonathon Cobban, aged 35, and ex-PC Joel Borders, aged 45, were convicted after sending misogynistic, racist, and violent messages, including slurs aimed at Muslims and black people. These messages were exchanged in a group called “Bottle and Stoppers,” which included the killer cop, Couzens.
The messages first came to light after Couzens’ arrest for his heinous crimes, which led to further investigations into the WhatsApp group. Cobban and Borders both denied that their messages were “grossly offensive,” but were found guilty following a trial. District Judge Sarah Turnock, sentencing them at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, remarked that their actions had caused significant harm to the reputation of police forces across the UK.
Despite the offensive content being shared privately, the judge highlighted the immense distress it caused to the individuals and groups targeted by the officers’ slurs. She stated that the messages mocked people they were sworn to protect, encompassing a range of prejudicial views, including racism, misogyny, and homophobia. The judge also noted that such behaviour risked normalising harmful attitudes within the police force. Both officers were sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, although they were granted bail pending an appeal.
Their attempts to express remorse were met with scepticism. The judge pointed out that they had shown little recognition of the harm they caused, with Borders suggesting that the messages were blown out of proportion and Cobban dismissing them as sarcastic. Cobban, who was still serving as a police officer when convicted, and Borders, who resigned after the investigation began, will now face the consequences of their actions, which have further damaged the trust in law enforcement.
In court, it was revealed that many of the offensive messages were sent while Cobban and Borders were still in training, although some were sent while Cobban was on active duty. One message by Cobban included a derogatory comment about a female colleague, while others referred to violence and inappropriate fantasies. The defence lawyer attempted to argue that the officers had suffered from “cancel culture” and media attention, but this claim was rejected.
Following the sentencing, Commander Jon Savell of the Met Police expressed his dismay at the officers’ behaviour, affirming that the force would continue to investigate and prosecute those who break the law. “We demand the highest standards of conduct from our officers,” he stated, reinforcing that those who exhibit such unacceptable attitudes would be dealt with severely.
