A former police officer from East Somerset has been handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting to a series of online child sex offences, Avon and Somerset Police confirmed today (16 April 2025).
James Gullis, 28, pleaded guilty in February to multiple charges, including making indecent images of children, possession of prohibited images, and possession of extreme pornography. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, and was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Gullis was arrested in December 2023 after the National Crime Agency (NCA) flagged concerning online activity. He was immediately suspended from duty pending further investigation.
Barred from Policing for Life
At a separate misconduct hearing on 18 March, led by former Assistant Chief Constable Craig Holden, it was found that Gullis had committed gross misconduct, breaching standards of honesty and integrity and discreditable conduct under the Standards of Professional Behaviour for Police Officers.
Although Gullis had already resigned, the outcome ensured he would have been dismissed had he remained in post. He is now barred from ever holding any role in law enforcement.
Police Statement
Assistant Chief Constable Joanne Hall condemned the offences, stating:
“He committed horrendous crimes and we moved quickly to arrest him and suspend him from duty as soon as we became aware of his offending.
The misconduct process has also ensured he will never be able to work in any law enforcement role ever again.”
She added that while the public will rightly be shocked, “the vast majority of our officers and staff are dedicated to the communities they serve and to keeping the public safe”.
Ongoing Appeal for Information
Avon and Somerset Police continue to investigate the case and are appealing for anyone with relevant information to come forward. Members of the public can contact police on 101 or visit www.avonandsomerset.police.uk, quoting reference 5223262926.
The case marks another high-profile example of forces across the UK taking a firm stance on rooting out individuals who exploit positions of trust for criminal purposes.
