Met Police Superintendent Sacked Over Child Abuse Image Conviction
A senior Met Police officer has been axed without notice after being convicted of possessing a vile indecent image of a child. Superintendent Novlett Robyn Williams, based at Central West Command, faced a special case hearing on Friday 13 March over serious breaches of professional conduct.
Convicted at Old Bailey – Community Order and Sex Offender Registration
Supt Williams was sentenced at the Old Bailey on 26 November following her 19 November conviction for holding a Category A moving image of a young child — the highest level of child abuse image. She was handed a community order, required to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, and must register as a sex offender for five years.
Investigation and Hearing Lead to Dismissal
An independent probe by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) urged action, leading to a special case hearing chaired by Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball. The verdict? Gross misconduct and discreditable conduct, sparking immediate dismissal.
Williams has applied for leave to appeal her conviction, but police regulations forced the hearing to proceed without delay. She can still appeal the hearing outcome to a police appeals tribunal.
Trial Details: Family Ties and WhatsApp Horror
Williams, 54, stood trial alongside her sister Jennifer Hodge, 56, and Hodge’s partner Dido Massivi, 61, both from NW2. Hodge got a community order with 100 hours unpaid work after being convicted of distributing the same abusive video. Massivi was sentenced to an 18-month suspended jail term alongside 200 hours unpaid work for multiple counts including possession of extreme pornography. He must notify authorities for ten years, while Hodge’s notification period is five years.
The explosive WhatsApp clip was sent on 3 February 2018 by Hodge, who got it from Massivi. Williams was one of 17 recipients but reportedly failed to report it, despite police already being alerted by another recipient on 4 February.
Prosecution and Verdict
Police launched a proper investigation, arresting Hodge and Massivi the same day. Williams was interviewed under caution weeks later. All three faced charges after CPS review, with postal requisition served in February 2019. While 16 of the 17 who received the clip admitted it, only two reported it to police. The rest either deleted the video or did nothing — except for Williams, who was convicted.
Williams was acquitted of a charge of corruptly abusing police powers by failing to report the video. But the judge said the jury clearly believed she knew exactly what she had on her phone by the evening of 3 February. It was “fanciful” to think she hadn’t spoken about it with her sister the next day.
Crucially, the judge noted Williams never played the video nor had it for sexual gratification.
