Twitter users were left shocked after Merseyside Police’s official account tweeted a rape joke in response to a follower’s inappropriate message.
The first message to the account read: “I’d like to report an incident of rape that accoutred at Goodison Park, Liverpool, on November 1st at 3:00.”
The tweet refers to a football match which took place at Goodison Park where Everton beat Sunderland 6-2.
Rather than ignore the hoax claims or take the tweet seriously, Merseyside Police responded: “Just confirm there was no actual rape for me? Sunderland certainly got caught with their pants down thought.”
Followers responded with: “This is absolutely horrific” whilst another wrote: “Making a joke out of rape. Setting a great example for everyone else aren’t you guys.”
After they were met with scores of complaints about the tweets, messages were deleted. Merseyside Police then released an apology on their account.
They wrote: “We would like to apologise for any offence caused by inappropriate tweets from the force account this afternoon. They do not reflect the strenuous efforts made by Merseyside Police to investigate serious sexual crimes and protect victims.
“A full investigation has been launched into the inappropriate use of the Merseyside Police Twitter account.”
What do you think of this story? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter (@CloserOnline)