PCSO with 'unhealthy interest in rape' jailed for sharing thousands of 'sickening' child abuse images
A police community support officer who distributed thousands of “sickening” child abuse images has been jailed for two years.
Jonathan Plummer, 35, a PCSO from Outwood, Wakefield, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Monday.
West Yorkshire Police said his “sickening off-duty activities” had “appalled” his colleagues.
Plummer called himself “Vile Degrader” online and had an “unhealthy interest in rape as well as child pornography”, the court heard.
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He was found guilty of three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of distributing indecent images of children, two counts of possession of extreme pornographic images and one count of possession of prohibited images.
The court heard Plummer had more than 2,100 images and 200 video of child abuse on his phone.
He had viewed and shared thousands of images and videos, some of which were in the most extreme category, West Yorkshire Police said.
The former cyber prevention officer was arrested in August 2018 and devices were seized from his flat. The images found were created between 7 July, 2017, and 13 August, 2018.
He was suspended from duty as soon as he was arrested.
The court heard an audit of a police computer system had found Plummer had been looking at sexual offences and cases involving indecent images of children.
Prosecutor Louise Reevell said his employment had nothing to do with these types of investigations but he was trying to cover up his offences.
Plummer admitted lying to police during interviews about his online alias, “Vile Degrader”, out of “embarrassment and panic”.
Plummer was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.
Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Bottomley, head of West Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Directorate, said: “The sickening off-duty activities of this PCSO have shocked and appalled his colleagues and completely contradict the values and standards that both the force and, quite rightly, the public would expect of any police employee.
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“We take the possession and distribution of indecent images extremely seriously. I hope that this conviction demonstrates that no one is above the law and that we will take action against anyone involved in this abhorrent offending.
“Swift enquiries were made to confirm that his offending was not connected with his work as a PCSO and ensure that appropriate safeguards were in place.
“It was found that he had looked at police intelligence files in an attempt to cover up his own offending. Following his conviction, we will now progress with misconduct proceedings.”
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