Shamed ex-detective avoids prison over child porn images

Michael Vause, 59, who resigned from the force’s professional standards department which investigates allegations of wrongdoing against police at the time of his arrest on May 1, admitted 10 counts of making indecent images of children.

Huddersfield Magistrates’ Court was told Vause, of Thorpe Audlin, Pontefract, had 562 images on a computer deemed to be the lowest of five levels covering indecent pictures. One image was rated level three.

Images rated as the more serious level four were found but charges were dropped after it was accepted these dated from before he owned the computer.

Roger Clapham, mitigating, said Vause had been so ashamed he had given a written statement to investigating officers “because he couldn’t bring himself to speak about it”.

He told District Judge Marie Mallon the offences were unconnected with his work, adding: “Curiosity killed the cat, ma’am.”

Judge Mallon said: “I don’t think there is such a thing as kiddie porn. These are images of children being sexually abused because somewhere along the line children are being abused.”

She sentenced him to a three-year community order to attend 60 sessions at a sex offenders’ programme and sign the sex offenders’ register for five years.

West Yorkshire Police said: “We welcome today’s sentence and hope it sends a strong message that we will pursue and prosecute anyone involved in such crimes.”