A POLICE officer has been sentenced for sharing images on WhatsApp which showed support for Hamas.

Mohammed Adil, 26, from Bradford, pleaded guilty to sharing two images and associated text showing support for Hamas when he appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court last month.

Adil today appeared at the same court where he was sentenced to an 18-month community order, including up to 35 days of rehabilitation activity requirement and 160 hours of unpaid work.

Adil was a serving police officer with West Yorkshire Police, based in Calderdale district, when the offences were committed in October and November last year.

He was initially reported by colleagues - before the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and Counter Terrorism Policing North East (CTPNE) probed the offences and referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a charging decision.

He has been suspended since his arrest and West Yorkshire Police said it will now start misconduct proceedings following his conviction.

After sentencing, Detective Superintendent Tanya Wilkins, of West Yorkshire Police's Professional Standards Directorate, said: "We understand that it will cause some concern within our communities that a police officer has admitted showing support for a terrorist organisation.

"It is unfortunate that the actions of one officer have the potential to cause significant damage to public trust.

"I hope that the swift action taken in this case helps reassure the public how seriously this has been treated by police and others in the criminal justice system.  

"These messages actually came to light due to the integrity of two of PC Adil's colleagues who came forward to report their concerns.

"This information was quickly acted upon and passed to CTPNE for investigation.

"PC Adil has been suspended from duty since the day of his arrest.

"Following the conclusion of this court case, we will now commence with misconduct proceedings."

She added: "We make it clear to all employees that it is not compatible for anyone working in policing to be a member of, or show support for, a proscribed organisation.  

"All officers, staff and volunteers are vetted prior to commencing employment with West Yorkshire Police and are also subject to routine vetting checks throughout their employment.  

"Any declared or discovered affiliation with a proscribed organisation would result in a failed vetting check and their employment being terminated.  

"If anyone does have any information about a police employee showing support for a proscribed organisation, they can either report it directly to the police or provide information anonymously to Crimestoppers."  

According to the IOPC, a number of PC Adil's colleagues reported concerns about images they had seen him share on WhatsApp.

The police watchdog said "given the nature of the images", it determined the matter should be investigated by CTPNE, under IOPC direction.

A spokesperson for the IOPC said: "The investigation looked at PC Adil's search, message and image history over several years, dating back to before he joined West Yorkshire Police in August 2021.

"The criminal charges relate to two images he shared, one on October 31, 2023, and one on November 4, 2023.

"The first showed a man wearing a Hamas headband, believed to the leader of the Al-Qassam Brigade, Hamas' military wing, alongside the words 'today is the time for the Palestinian people to rise, set their path straight, and establish an independent Palestinian State'.

"The second was an image of a man wearing a Hamas headband, understood to be a spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigade, and the words 'we will hold accountable all those who occupied our lands, and Allah will hold accountable all those who remained silent against this occupation and oppression'.

"We approved the CPTNE investigator's report in April, and agreed the matter should be referred to the CPS."

IOPC regional director Emily Barry said: "PC Adil's actions were wholly unacceptable and fell far below the standards expected of a police officer.

"I am grateful to those who reported concerns about his behaviour.

"What we found was deeply concerning – some of the content shared was antisemitic in nature and showed support for a terrorist group."

A CPS spokesperson added: "The CPS will not hesitate to work with the IOPC and police to prosecute these offences, regardless of the perpetrators' position."