Hampshire police officers were recorded on a hidden bug making racist, sexist and homophobic comments and wishing death on foreigners, a disciplinary hearing has heard. The officers, part of a specialist police unit that was described as “plain nasty”, were overheard insulting communities they were sworn to serve, the tribunal in Winchester heard. An anonymous complaint had led to electronic bugs being placed in their offices between 9 March and 2 April 2018. Six current and former officers from Hampshire police’s serious and organised crime unit (Socu) office in Basingstoke are accused of breaching professional standards and face a three-week tribunal. The officers are DS Oliver Lage, former PC Craig Bannerman, trainee detective constable Andrew Ferguson, and PC James Oldfield. In addition, retired DI Tim Ireson and DS Gregory Willcox are accused of failing to fulfil their supervisory roles to stop or report the inappropriate behaviour. Opening the case against them, Jason Beer QC said: “It was a unit that was racist – a black officer is described as a ‘pavement special’, ie a mixed-breed dog. People are described as ‘pikeys’; a black officer is accused of behaving like a colonial overseer running a plantation of white people. When speaking to a black officer, a colleague puts on a fake Caribbean accent – in fact he was from Ghana. A detail like that doesn’t matter, he was a black man after all. “A black officer is accused of being flown to England from Africa in a crate and taken to London zoo; all the time a song is sung in the background to the tune of Buffalo Soldier.” Beer added that “offensive” photos of black men were shared on a WhatsApp group in reference to the only black officer in the unit. Beer also said the unit displayed sexism: “Women were called or referred to as ‘whores’, ‘sluts’, ‘sweet tits’ or ‘sugar tits’, ‘Dorises’, ‘a fucking Doris’ … A suspect is called a ‘fucking cunt’. And the officers ponder amongst themselves if a person using the tannoy system is ‘getting any cock’.” Beer said the covert recording device caught derogatory terms being used for disabled, gay and transgender people, and suggestions that Albanian nationals “should be shot or even killed with a nerve agent”. It was also said that “illegal immigrants deserve the death penalty”, Beer told the hearing. “The officers joked about immigrants having a ‘long swim’ and drowning in the sea.” He added: “It was a unit that was plain nasty, that displayed attitudes towards groups and communities that police officers are called upon to protect.” Beer said the unit enjoyed relative isolation from the rest of the force due to the sensitive and sometimes covert nature of its work. “That isolation and a lack of leadership by Mr Ireson and DS Willcox appears to have led to a toxic, abhorrent culture developing in the unit amongst some officers,” he said. “[This] is inconsistent with the values and standards of the police service in the 21st century and inconsistent with continued service in the police service.” Beer said the investigation into the unit also examined texts and emails, which uncovered similar material. Oldfield is also accused of attending work after excessive drinking, and DS Willcox is also alleged to have falsely recorded hours and overtime, according to Hampshire police. All the officers deny gross misconduct. The hearing continues.