A former Leicestershire Police officer who unlawfully accessed, downloaded and shared indecent images of children has been found to have committed gross misconduct.
An accelerated misconduct hearing was held on Friday (3 December) in relation to former Leicestershire Police detective constable Christopher Richards.
The hearing found it proven that between a date unknown and 19 October 2021, the conduct of the former detective constable breached the standards of professional behaviour in relation to honesty and integrity and discreditable conduct in the following respect:
Between a date unknown and 12 March 2020 without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, the former detective constable:
accessed, downloaded, and shared online indecent images of children;
participated in online conversations with others in which he provided details of having sexual encounters with children and outlining an intention or desire to have continuing sexual encounters with children
On 19 October 2021 he was convicted of criminal offences at Nottingham Crown Court as follows:
making indecent photographs of children x 6
attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child
attempting to arrange/facilitate the commission of a child sex offence
In October 2021, Christopher Richards was sentenced to six years imprisonment following the hearing at Nottingham Crown Court.
He had been suspended immediately upon his arrest and remained so until his resignation in June 2020.
The hearing concluded that had Christopher Richards still been serving in the force, he would have been dismissed with immediate effect. It was also concluded that the former officer should be placed on the College of Policing’s barred list
