Veteran police inspector unmasked as a vile online troll who targeted women campaigning for justice for Sarah Everard has been sacked

• EXCLUSIVE: Inspector Phil Grimwade, 48, was sacked by Nottinghamshire Police
• For six years, he trolled female MPs, lawyers and fellow officers on social media

A veteran Police Inspector has been sacked after being unmasked as a vile online troll who targeted women who were campaigning for justice for Sarah Evard after her murder, MailOnline has learned.

Senior Nottingham Police officer Phil Grimwade, 48, carried out a ‘deliberate and targeted’ six-year social media campaign of hate against female MPs, lawyers and fellow senior police officers.

His warped campaign culminated in the period following the high profile murder of Sarah Everard by Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens.

Inspector Grimwade used social media to send hateful messages about and to female activist Patsy Stevenson – whose arrest at a demonstration in Sarah’s name was captured in a photograph that became famous.

Following Ms Stevenson’s arrest at the London vigil for Sarah, the officer replied from his Twitter account: ‘She’s From Southend. Should have thrown her in the sea at high tide.’

Senior Nottingham Police officer Phil Grimwade, 48, carried out a ‘deliberate and targeted’ six-year social media campaign of hate against female MPs, lawyers and fellow senior police officers

Grimade tweeted some of his vile abuse when he was actually on duty in his senior management role at Nottingham Police, spending his working hours spreading hate

Grimwade’s warped campaign culminated in the period following the high profile murder of Sarah Everard by Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens

Inspector Grimwade used social media to send hateful messages about and to female activist Patsy Stevenson – whose arrest at a demonstration in Sarah’s name was captured in a photograph that became famous

Cities across the country hosted vigils to remember Sarah Everard, as well as to highlight the worries experienced by all women walking home alone

Inspector Grimwade, a senior leader in Nottingham Police Service, with 26 years service, also used social media to post ‘malicious, abusive, and antagonistic messages’ to female members of the public, retired black police officers, MPs and other activists over many years.

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Grimade tweeted some of his vile abuse when he was actually on duty in his senior management role at Nottingham Police, spending his working hours spreading hate.

He targeted numerous women whose views he disliked to brand them ‘bats*** crazy’, ‘mentalists’, ‘attention seeking’, ‘narcissists’ or ‘mentally unwell’.

Among his high profile targets were front bench female MPs Nadine Dorries and Diane Abbott, campaigning barrister Dr Charlotte Proudman, former police officer and author Alice Vintern, and another former Met Police officer Chantelle Lunt.

His targets were predominantly female but they did include some men including MBE retired Metropolitan Police Superintendent Leroy Logan, a founding member of the Black Police Association.

The married father, from Essex, boasted about coming from a third generation Police family, and was proud of his decorated war hero grandfather.

Away from policing he sang and played guitar in a pub rock band called ‘Sore Point’ and regularly posted updates on their appearances.

This week the Nottingham Police Inspector was finally sacked and banned from policing for Life at an accelerated disciplinary hearing chaired by Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Police Kate Meynell.

Grimwade said in his defence that he had originally set up his Twitter account to ‘shine a light’ on the good work of the police but had ‘lost focus, perspective and manners over time’.

He denied having misogynistic views but admitted gross misconduct.

Grimade targeted numerous women whose views he disliked to brand them ‘bats*** crazy’, ‘mentalists’, ‘attention seeking’, ‘narcissists’ or ‘mentally unwell’

Grimwade said in his defence that he had originally set up his Twitter account to ‘shine a light’ on the good work of the police but had ‘lost focus, perspective and manners over time’

The hearing found that Inspector Grimwade breached the standards of professional behaviour, specifically Twitter (now X) content relating to discreditable conduct and authority, respect and courtesy.

The hearing heard that a number of people he had targeted had made formal complaints and said they felt his attacks were ‘misogynistic, abusive and unprofessional.’over the period December 2017 to January this year.

Chief Constable Meynell said: ‘This is at a time when policing is under considerable national scrutiny through high-profile cases where there has been a failure to prevent or protect women and girls from abuse and violence.

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‘His postings directly concerned a woman involved in the Sarah Everard vigil at a time when quite rightly the public were concerned about the attitude of police officers towards women and girls.’

Handing Grimwade his punishment Chief Constable Maynell said: ‘The officer’s conduct was intentional, deliberate and targeted and occurred over a period of years. It was repeated and sustained behaviour.’

‘It was or should have been apparent to him that this would cause personal distress to the individuals involved and to the reputation of Nottinghamshire Police and wider policing.

‘The officer was in a position of responsibility as he was an Inspector. He was a role model to junior officers and staff and he was responsible for setting the standards. In any event, the expectation is that an officer of any rank would not conduct himself in this way.’

As well as being sacked he was banned from policing for life.

Dr Proudman, a barrister at Goldsmith Chambers, who was subject to abuse, said afterwards: ‘As a barrister specialising in male violence against women and children, I’ve suffered relentless abuse from my own colleagues, police officers and other men on social media.

‘After former Inspector Grimwade directly sent misogynist abuse to me, I feared for rape victims who might find themselves reporting violence to him. He clearly has no regard for survivors of gender-based violence.

‘I’m pleased the police have taken a robust stance in dismissing him as he has no place in the police.

Grimwade (left) was banned from policing for life in addition to being sacked

‘For far too long women have been silenced from speaking out about male violence; institutions have a duty to hold perpetrators within powerful ranks to account. We will never be safe when key actors in our justice system perpetrate the same violence as perpetrators they are supposed to hold to account.’

Leroy Logan MBE, who worked on the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and the death of Damilola Taylor, was also targeted by the disgraced Inspector.

Logan said: ‘I welcome the dismissal of Inspector Grimwade. He held a very important leadership role in Nottingham. But his conduct was not becoming of an officer, much less a supervisor.’

‘You can’t discount the possibility that this has an impact on his policing. And it must have an impact on his leading his team, how they carry out their role as officers, with the black community, with women and girls.

‘It’s really disappointing that officers there’s still officers in the organisation that hold these attitudes, who act like a stampeding herd trampling over people because of their gender, the colour of their skin, their lifestyle. Whether it’s on social media or otherwise.’

Alice Vintern, former Police Officer turned author, said: ‘I’m really impressed with how seriously Nottinghamshire Police took my complaint. They acted quickly to remove this abuse inspector from duty, and thoroughly investigated his sexist and offensive tweets.

‘It was shocking for me to see a senior member of a police force sending abusive tweets and bullying members of the public online. In my opinion, if you’re a bully online, then you’re a bully in real life, and we need to ensure that bullies are rooted out of policing at all costs.

‘That’s why I made my complaint. I am glad he has been dismissed. Men like him do not deserve to hold a warrant card and he has let his colleagues down ‘

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