Top firearms cop moved to new job after exposes porn shame
BY TARA FITZPATRICK tara.fitzpatrick@reachplc.com
SCOTLAND’S top gun cop has been moved to a different department after he was found following pornographic accounts on Twitter.
Superintendent Tony Beveridge was head of armed policing for Scotland when the Record revealed he was engaging with a number of X-rated accounts – including @Chavbabes and @BritHotties – on his public Twitter profile. Many of these accounts linked to paid-for services and webcam videos.
Beveridge was forced to admit that his behaviour was “not appropriate” and sources from within the firearms department said his actions were objectifying women.
Following the Record’s story, it is understood that Beveridge has been moved to Police Scotland’s Operation Talla, the force’s response to Covid-19.
Beveridge was found following accounts sharing explicit images on Twitter and links to AdmireMe.VIP and OnlyFans accounts where followers can pay to see nude pictures and videos.
We told how the accounts were unfollowed by Beveridge minutes after the Record approached him for comment.
A firearms officer at the time said that Beveridge’s social media behaviour was at odds with Police Scotland’s work to encourage more women into firearms – an area where just 10 per cent of officers are female.
They said: “It sends totally the wrong message. It flies in the face of all the work people are doing to encourage women to consider becoming firearms officers.”
Sources say the move to another department was made directly after Beveridge’s Twitter behaviour was revealed by the Record.
One said: “I assume he got moved to OP Talla because of the article. They refused to do anything official about it though.”
Speaking of Beveridge’s actions, Chief Superintendent Louise Skelton, head of specialist services, said: “This is not a criminal or conduct matter. However, the officer involved recognises that his actions were not appropriate.”
A Police Scotland spokesman said the force would not comment on individual employment matters.