POLICE OFFICER JAILED OVER CHILD SEX IMAGES
2017.A police officer has been sentenced to prison after a large collection of disturbing child sex abuse images was discovered on his electronic devices.
PC Leigh Morris, aged 31 and a member of Thames Valley Police, was taken into custody by fellow officers at his residence in Milton Keynes.
The investigation revealed some of the most severe images depicted children as young as three years old, including a baby.
On Thursday, he received a 12-month jail term at Luton Crown Court.
Prosecutor Douglas Page stated that the images included various videos and photographs.
Judge Michael Kay QC remarked, "The images are horrendous.
"I have heard a lot about you.
What one doesn't hear on these occasions is the position of each one of the children in those images.
Each one of those children is a victim and has been abused." 'Deeply ashamed' Morris confessed to three counts of downloading indecent images of a child, possessing an extreme pornographic image, and possessing a prohibited picture of a child.
The material comprised 131 Category A images, which are the most severe, along with 217 in Category B and 113 in Category C.
It was also revealed that Morris attempted to conceal his activity by using software.
Defense lawyer Cameron Scott stated that Morris was “deeply ashamed” and had privately funded a course with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a charity tackling internet offending.
Scott mentioned that Morris had caused harm to his family and lost his employment as a result.
Deputy Chief Constable John Campbell said: "I am always deeply disappointed to hear of a criminal offence being committed by a police officer.
"This undermines the confidence that members of the public should rightly have in the police service and therefore he was dismissed from the force without notice following a special case misconduct hearing." Morris must register as a sex offender for 10 years and abide by the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
