MET POLICEMAN KICKED OFF THE FORCE FOR THEFT AND FRAUD IS JAILED FOR FOUR YEARS FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL
A former Metropolitan Police officer convicted of sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl after entering her bedroom unlawfully has been sentenced to four years in prison.Andrew Kirkland, aged 42, entered the child's room during the night and pulled back her bedding before engaging in sexual activity, as detailed in court proceedings at Reading Crown Court.
The court was informed that semen from Kirkland was discovered on the young girl’s pajamas and bedding after her mother, suspecting his involvement, provided these items to law enforcement authorities.
Following a four-day trial, the jury unanimously found Kirkland guilty of sexually assaulting a girl under 13 years old on Thursday.
The presiding judge, Kirsty Real, sentenced Kirkland to four years behind bars and ordered that he be subject to a lifelong requirement to register as a sex offender.
Kirkland, who previously worked as a neighbourhood officer in Ickenham, London, was dismissed from the police force in 2014 due to charges of theft and fraud, court documents revealed.
During the trial, prosecutor Paul Fairley recounted how Kirkland came across the seven-year-old girl in Berkshire in March 2021.
He explained that Kirkland entered her bedroom at night, exposing himself while believing she was asleep, and engaged in sexual acts on her bed.
The prosecutor added: 'The next thing that the mother remembers is her daughter at the door saying 'my bed's wet' and saying someone had made it wet but it was not her.
'She said she thought a man had been taking photos of her on his phone.
'As you could imagine, her mind was going at 1,000 miles an hour and racing all over the place.' Mr Fairley told the jury that the girl's mother immediately took the bedsheets and Kirkland's phone to the children's school, where police were called.
Officers seized the bedding, the girl's nightie and Kirkland's phone and arrested him for questioning.
DNA evidence taken from the samples given to police revealed that there were semen traces on three items, including the victim's bedsheets and pyjamas, all matching with that of Kirkland's.
Sarah Kalageros, a DNA expert, told the court: 'In my opinion, the scientific findings provide extremely strong support for the view that Andrew Kirkland had entered the victim's bedroom and ejaculated onto the bed rather than he did not.' Kirkland argued in his defense during the court proceedings that the semen found on the bedclothes was the result of a voluntary sex act performed alone earlier, which could have left semen on his hands.
Less than three hours after the jury began deliberations, they returned with a verdict of guilty on the charge of sexual assault against a child.
The verdict was announced in court, prompting audible sighs of relief from those in the public gallery.
Upon hearing the guilty verdict, Kirkland’s head sank into his hands.
Subsequently, the prosecutor read a statement on behalf of the child’s mother, who is unidentified due to legal restrictions.
She described how the child repeatedly thought about seeing and hearing Kirkland throughout the day, and how certain sounds while walking caused her to startle.
Kirkland had been dismissed from the Metropolitan Police in 2014, a decision influenced by prior convictions, including theft by an employee, taking money from a workplace, and two counts of fraud linked to abuse of his position.
One of the latter charges related to an incident were he was convicted for using his work phone to contact sex chat lines, the court heard.
Defending the former policeman, Colin McCarraher said: 'He is an ex-Metropolitan Police officer.
When he goes off to serve his sentence, that will not be an easy sentence to serve.
He is an ex-copper.' Sentencing Kirkland, Judge Kirsty Real said: 'The victim was particularly vulnerable, ostensibly asleep and at a young age.' She had earlier been told that detectives found internet searches on Kirkland's phone for porn websites which included how to get into bed with a sleeping person.
The judge added that, although the pornographic videos found on his phone 'showed contemplation, there was no significant planning.' Kirkland, of Leicester, was sentenced to four year's imprisonment.
He was also ordered to sign onto the Sex Offender's Register for the rest of his life and a Sexual Prevention Harm Order application is to be adjusted at a later date.
