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| Kent police investigate Paris Brown social media messages | Kent police investigate Paris Brown social media messages |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Social media messages written by Britain's first youth police and crime commissioner are being investigated by the force that employs her following complaints from the public. | Social media messages written by Britain's first youth police and crime commissioner are being investigated by the force that employs her following complaints from the public. |
| Kent police officers are to decide whether Paris Brown, 17, has committed any offences in writing apparently violent, racist and anti-gay comments on Twitter. | Kent police officers are to decide whether Paris Brown, 17, has committed any offences in writing apparently violent, racist and anti-gay comments on Twitter. |
| The teenager, appointed to the £15,000-a-year role last week, posted the messages between the ages of 14 and 16 and has apologised for causing offence through what she described as her "use of inappropriate language". | The teenager, appointed to the £15,000-a-year role last week, posted the messages between the ages of 14 and 16 and has apologised for causing offence through what she described as her "use of inappropriate language". |
| Kent police and crime commissioner Ann Barnes has defended Brown, stressing that her recruitment to the position – the first in the UK – was not a gimmick. | Kent police and crime commissioner Ann Barnes has defended Brown, stressing that her recruitment to the position – the first in the UK – was not a gimmick. |
| But on Monday night Kent police said they had "received a number of complaints about statements posted on social media. Kent police officers are investigating circumstances to determine whether any offences have been committed." | But on Monday night Kent police said they had "received a number of complaints about statements posted on social media. Kent police officers are investigating circumstances to determine whether any offences have been committed." |
| Brown, from Sheerness, Kent, has denied being homophobic, racist or violent and says she is against the taking of drugs, despite a reference on Twitter to making "hash brownies". The offensive tweets have now been deleted. | Brown, from Sheerness, Kent, has denied being homophobic, racist or violent and says she is against the taking of drugs, despite a reference on Twitter to making "hash brownies". The offensive tweets have now been deleted. |
| Barnes, 67, who is paying £5,000 of Brown's salary from her own pay, said she did not condone the nature of the tweets but asked for some perspective due to Brown's age. | Barnes, 67, who is paying £5,000 of Brown's salary from her own pay, said she did not condone the nature of the tweets but asked for some perspective due to Brown's age. |
| She said the teenager was one of 164 applicants for the job, intended to provide young people's views on policing, and she was the best one and a "confident and articulate woman". | She said the teenager was one of 164 applicants for the job, intended to provide young people's views on policing, and she was the best one and a "confident and articulate woman". |
| But she told BBC News that the teenager's Twitter account had not been vetted when they offered her the job. | But she told BBC News that the teenager's Twitter account had not been vetted when they offered her the job. |
| "We went through a perfectly normal recruitment process and we had her vetted by the force," she said. | "We went through a perfectly normal recruitment process and we had her vetted by the force," she said. |
| "Nobody normally looks through anybody's Twitter feed – perhaps that's a lesson for the future. We are living in a different world now." | "Nobody normally looks through anybody's Twitter feed – perhaps that's a lesson for the future. We are living in a different world now." |
| A Kent police spokeswoman said: "Kent police undertakes varying levels of vetting and higher levels of vetting can include checks on a social media account." | A Kent police spokeswoman said: "Kent police undertakes varying levels of vetting and higher levels of vetting can include checks on a social media account." |
| In a statement on Sunday, Brown said: "I deeply apologise for any offence caused by my use of inappropriate language and for any inference of inappropriate views. | In a statement on Sunday, Brown said: "I deeply apologise for any offence caused by my use of inappropriate language and for any inference of inappropriate views. |
| "I am not homophobic, racist or violent and am against the taking of drugs. | "I am not homophobic, racist or violent and am against the taking of drugs. |
| "If I'm guilty of anything, it's showing off and wildly exaggerating on Twitter and I am very ashamed of myself." | "If I'm guilty of anything, it's showing off and wildly exaggerating on Twitter and I am very ashamed of myself." |
| Her appointment has been condemned in the light of the publication of the tweets. | Her appointment has been condemned in the light of the publication of the tweets. |
| South Thanet Conservative MP Laura Sandys said on Twitter: "Paris Brown should step down as youth crime tsar for Kent … Gimmicks always backfire." | South Thanet Conservative MP Laura Sandys said on Twitter: "Paris Brown should step down as youth crime tsar for Kent … Gimmicks always backfire." |
| Fellow Kent Tory MP Damian Collins also called for the teenager to go. | Fellow Kent Tory MP Damian Collins also called for the teenager to go. |
| The member for Folkestone and Hythe said: "I do not think the role should have been created in the first place. | The member for Folkestone and Hythe said: "I do not think the role should have been created in the first place. |
| "I feel sorry for Paris Brown to be put in this position where there is such a high level of scrutiny about what she has said. | "I feel sorry for Paris Brown to be put in this position where there is such a high level of scrutiny about what she has said. |
| "She is going to be under constant pressure to explain what she meant and it's best that this young person should rebuild her life away from intense media scrutiny. | "She is going to be under constant pressure to explain what she meant and it's best that this young person should rebuild her life away from intense media scrutiny. |
| "I think that it's best if it would be Ann Barnes to take that decision herself and say that creating the post was a mistake." | "I think that it's best if it would be Ann Barnes to take that decision herself and say that creating the post was a mistake." |
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