New youth commissioner in apology

Britain's first youth police commissioner has apologised for "inappropriate language and views" she posted on her Twitter account.

Paris Brown, 17, wrote violent, racist and anti-gay comments on her feed before she became the first youth PCC for Kent to represent young people's views on policing.

The offensive tweets, which included references to taking drugs, were posted by the teenager from the ages of 14 to 16, but have now been deleted.

There were calls for Miss Brown, from Sheerness, Kent, to resign from her £15,000-a-year post she was appointed to last week, but Kent Police and local Crime Commissioner Ann Barnes defended her.

In a statement, Miss 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.

"If I'm guilty of anything it's showing off and wildly exaggerating on Twitter, and I am very ashamed of myself, but I can't imagine that I'm the only teenager to have done this.

"Just as one example, the line about 'Hash Brownies' is a reference to a Scooby Doo film.

"I have a genuine interest in working with young people, as demonstrated by my current work as an apprentice for a local authority helping teenagers in a local community."

Mrs Barnes said in a statement that she did not condone the nature of the tweets but asked for some perspective due to Miss Brown's age.