Ex-police officer caught with indecent images of children guilty of gross misconduct

Christopher Groom, 41, was told he would have been dismissed from the force, following a misconduct hearing earlier this month, if he had not already quit.

North Yorkshire Police said the former police constable had been looking at images of girls as young as eight “in varying states of undress” online, between 2014 and 2021.

More than 8,000 indecent images were found on his computer, after he was arrested in December 2021. They were all Category C, which means they did not involve sexual activity.

According to police, Groom originally told officers he had downloaded “bundles of pornography” but had not expected any of the images to be of children and deleted them when he realised.

However, following the police investigation he pleaded guilty to possession of 8,707 indecent images of children at Leeds Magistrates Court in May.

He was sentenced to an 18-month community order, with 30 days of rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid work. A sexual harm prevention order was imposed and he was placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

Groom, who joined the force in 2005, resigned before he appeared in court.

Chief constable Lisa Winward, who chaired the misconduct panel, said the it was the former officer has "caused significant reputational damage" to North Yorkshire Police.

In the ruling, she wrote: “It is a serious matter for a police officer to download and have in their possession images of this type.

“Officers are meant to protect and safeguard children. It is totally inappropriate for them to have pictures which can only stem from abuse and exploitation of children.

“It is a fundamental breach of the public’s trust in police officers. It was undoubtedly done for his own sexual gratification.

“The former officer has committed a serious criminal offence. It is unacceptable for officers who are responsible for enforcing the law to break the law themselves.

“Offences of sexual offences including possession of child pornography are particularly serious and are likely to terminate an officer’s career.”