Village bobby suspended after posing on Facebook with cache of fake firearms

West Yorkshire PCSO Daniel Williams, 21, whose beat includes Addingham, was pictured on the internet holding two guns in a pose apparently copied from a violent computer game.

His police colleagues raided his home in Otley on Thursday and seized a number of imitation firearms.

It is understood that crossbows, harpoons and sword were also found in the search.

Williams was held overnight and released today after being cautioned for theft.

Police were alerted after a picture of Williams was posted on the social networking website Facebook.

The photograph appeared to show the shaven-headed PCSO clutching two handguns in an assassin stance copied from the computer game series Hitman.

Williams seemed to be dressed as the game's main character, suit-wearing gunman Agent 47, a genetically-enhanced clone trained to assassinate targets.

Williams is a member of West Yorkshire Police's Wharfedale and Craven neighbourhood policing team, based at Ilkley police station.

He mainly patrols Addingham, while other members of the team cover Steeton, Eastburn and Silsden.

The Government introduced PCSOs in 2002 under the Police Reform Act as part of a nationwide drive to provide more visible patrols in neighbourhoods.

Their primary roles are to reassure the public and to tackle anti-social behaviour, which can involve helping to support victims, confiscating alcohol in public plans, controlling crowds at major events and dealing with litter, graffiti and abandoned vehicles.