A PCSO who downloaded thousands of child abuse images while working for the police has been jailed for two years.
Jonathan Plummer called himself “Vile Degrader” online and fantasised about rape a jury at Leeds Crown Court heard.
The 35-year-old worked as a Cyber Prevent Officer in Wakefield, and used police systems to look up similar offences in an attempt to cover his tracks.
The martial arts enthusiast was today found guilty of three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of distributing indecent images of children, on count of possession of extreme images and one count of possession of prohibited images.
Plummer, who denied the allegations, told officers that he used his online persona of “Vile Degrader” from BDSM sites.
Judge Neil Clark made a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years and ordered Plummer to sign on the sex offender register, for two years.
A digital examination of Plummer’s Samsung mobile phone revealed 339 still images and 133 moving images of category A – the most serious category.
There were also 258 still images and 25 moving images of category B and 1256 still images and 42 moving images of category C.
Plummer told investigating officers he was into BDSM but insisted that the indecent images and prohibited images of children were nothing to do with him.
He told the jury he had “many sexual preferences” but no interest in indecent images of children.
A court head that he had an interest in samurai, and downloaded a “snuff movie” which appeared to show a naked woman being stabbed with a sword but cops did not think it was real.
Plummer had made multiple searches for “rape, raping and raped”, on his personal devices before his arrest.
The ex-PCSO was found to have looked up sexual offences and cases involving decent images of children in order to avoid detection.
A spokesman for the NSPCC said: “Plummer cynically, and for his own gratification, abused his position in the most shocking way.
“By obtaining and sharing these horrific images, he helped fuel a repulsive trade which creates victims across the world – a trade others in his former profession are working tirelessly to shut down.
“Plummer’s actions highlight how imperative it is that our children’s online world is as safe as possible.”
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.
“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.
“PCSO Plummer was suspended from duty immediately on his arrest.
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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