MARTIN HARRIS SALTDEAN POLICE OFFICER JAILED FOR CHILD INDECENT IMAGES AND SEXUAL MISCONDUCT IN BRIGHTON AND CRAWLEY
In a shocking case that has rocked the Sussex police force, Martin Harris, a former officer based in Saltdean, East Sussex, has been sentenced to prison for a series of disturbing crimes involving the exploitation and abuse of vulnerable individuals.The 37-year-old, who was employed at Brighton police station within the safeguarding and investigation unit, was found guilty of misconduct in public office, downloading and creating indecent images of children, and engaging in inappropriate conduct involving victims and colleagues alike.
Harris’s criminal activities came to light after a series of investigations revealed his gross breach of trust.
The case began when two police constables discovered graphic messages on his work-issued mobile phone, which he had carelessly left in a police vehicle on March 31 of the previous year.
This discovery prompted a deeper probe into his conduct, which uncovered a pattern of disturbing behavior.
On April 3, Harris was seen escorting a rape victim to the Saturn sexual abuse support center in Crawley, West Sussex.
The woman had reported her assault the day before and had provided police with personal details, including her Facebook account password, to aid the investigation.
However, Harris exploited this trust by secretly accessing her Facebook account shortly after their meeting.
He downloaded images of her, including a photograph of her at age 13 in a school uniform, and emailed these pictures to himself the following day.
The victim became alarmed when she received a notification indicating her account had been accessed without her permission, fearing her attacker might have been responsible.
Harris reassured her that the police were involved and that it was likely an officer working on her case.
Further investigations revealed that Harris had a disturbing pattern of behavior extending beyond this incident.
He had paid a prostitute £150 for sex at the Ibis hotel in Brighton during his working hours, set up online advertisements offering sex for up to £30 on Craigslist, and used police resources, including a work vehicle, to meet clients while on duty.
Additionally, he manipulated images from a childhood love interest’s social media account, editing them to appear more graphic and to depict him engaging in sexual acts with her.
The police also uncovered that Harris had taken secret photographs of schoolgirls while commuting on a bus and had photographed a woman through a door while she was in the bath.
His collection of illicit images included photographs of children as young as six, and searches for graphic websites were found on his devices.
During his police interview, Harris admitted to finding the rape victim “attractive” and expressed a desire to see things he shouldn’t be seeing, describing the act of taking illicit pictures as a “thrill” that gave him a sense of getting away with it.
He explained that his initial interest was in photographing attractive women in public, but his behavior escalated to targeting anyone he encountered.
Harris’s misconduct led to his dismissal from Sussex Police in January after a disciplinary hearing.
The court heard that he had a deeply entrenched sexual addiction, with Judge Christine Henson describing his actions as a “gross breach of trust.” She emphasized that Harris had deliberately sought access to victims and colleagues for his own sexual gratification, demonstrating a pattern of manipulative and predatory behavior.
The judge sentenced him to two years in prison, also imposing a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, a restraining order, and ordered the destruction of all images and electronic devices related to his crimes.
Pre-sentence reports painted a grim picture of Harris, highlighting his high manipulative ability, grooming tendencies, and a significant risk of re-offending.
Harris, who is a father of two young children, sat in the courtroom dressed in a grey suit, white shirt, and blue patterned tie, staring straight ahead as he received his sentence.
His case has raised serious questions about the oversight and conduct within the police force, and the community remains shaken by the betrayal of trust by someone sworn to protect and serve.
