PC caught with abuse images on iPhone walks free
A FORMER police officer has been spared jail after he was caught with a stash of sickening child abuse images on his iPhone.
Ryan Anderson was a serving PC based in the Borders when he was charged after Cumbrian officers called at his Carlisle home on May 11.
They discovered that the 39-year-old had downloaded a total of 724 illegal still and moving pictures of youngsters to his phone
– including 149 classed in category A, the most serious.
Prosecutor Alison Mather told Carlisle Crown Court: ‘Many of these images are of very small children, if not babies.’
Anderson admitted seven offences: three counts of making indecent photographs of a child; two of possessing extreme pornographic images – including almost a dozen featuring animals and one showing an unconscious woman being raped; one charge of distributing an indecent category A image; and publishing an obscene article discussing child sex abuse, arising from online chat with another individual.
He provided investigators with passwords for several devices seized. Only one, an iPhone, contained illicit material.
Lawyer Benjamin Haigh said in mitigation that Anderson had taken steps to address his offending behaviour, but added: ‘He needs further professional assistance.’
Acknowledging that guilty pleas were entered at the first opportunity, Recorder Julian Shaw imposed a twoyear prison sentence suspended f or two years on Monday.
Branding the images ‘disgusting’, Mr Shaw said: ‘I have to say, with some hesitation, Mr Anderson, I have decided this i s not a case which requires you to serve an immediate custodial sentence.’
He added. ‘ Your fall from a position in society where you were respected and indeed possessed a quite considerable authority and power has been spectacular. You have brought
‘Devastating and lifelong impact’
that upon yourself solely because of your behaviour.‘
Anderson was ordered to complete a 30-day rehabilitation requirement, 160 hours’ unpaid work and a threemonth electronically monitored night-time curfew.
He must also abide by the strict terms of a sexual harm prevention order and sign the sex offenders’ register, each for ten years.
After the sentencing, Chief Superintendent Andy McDowall, head of Police Scotland’s professional standards department, said: ‘This individual was suspended upon Police Scotland being notified of the investigation by Cumbria Police and I can confirm he is no longer in the service.’
He added: ‘Images of child abuse show real abuse of real children which has a terrible, devastating and lifelong impact. Online offenders may think they are anonymous but they are not.’