Final warning for PC who looked through indecent photos of woman

HE FAILED TO SHOW RESPECT, TRIBUNAL TOLD

- By JOEL MOORE

A NOTTINGHAMSHIRE police officer has been given a final warning for looking at indecent pictures of a woman who reported an online sex crime.

Police constable Michael Watson used the force's systems to view the file on the victim, which contained sexually explicit images of her and others, without a proper policing purpose.

He repeatedly looked at images of the woman engaged in oral sex with a man, an erect penis and the victim dressed in only her underwear.

PC Watson argued that he was merely ensuring the crime was properly dealt with, but a misconduct hearing held yesterday found his actions worthy of gross misconduct.

However, a panel ruled he could keep his job and issued him a final written warning, which will remain in place for two years.

Assistant Chief Constable Suk Verma, who chaired the hearing at Nottinghamshire Police headquarters in Sherwood Lodge Drive, Arnold, said the behaviour would cause reputational damage to the force, but was assured it was a “single episode over a short period of time”.