Ex-PCSO William Redwood Jailed Over Child Abuse Images
William Redwood, 24, has pleaded guilty to 33 offences involving the making, taking, and distribution of indecent images of children. He was also found guilty of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Victims Aged 12 to 17
The victims, both boys and girls, were aged between 12 and 17 when the offences took place. Redwood committed these crimes while he was aged 17 to 22.
Redwood’s Police Career Ends in Scandal
Redwood joined Surrey Police as a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) in Runnymede in October 2019. Less than a year later, in August 2020, his supervisor flagged concerns about his inappropriate and undisclosed associations. Redwood was also found to have accessed confidential police information without legitimate reason.
An investigation by Surrey Police’s Anti-Corruption Unit led to Redwood’s mobile phone being seized. It revealed indecent images of children, and the case was handed to Surrey Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team.
Before an internal misconduct hearing in December 2020, Redwood resigned. The hearing concluded he would have been dismissed and he was subsequently placed on the barred list.
Deputy Chief Constable Delivers Strong Statement
“This case has had a devastating impact on the victims involved and I commend them for their bravery in providing us with statements which led to him pleading guilty at an earlier hearing. I hope all those affected by his abhorrent criminal actions can take some comfort in the fact that he is now behind bars and that it gives them some closure,” said Deputy Chief Constable Nev Kemp.
“It is extremely regrettable that Redwood had the privilege of serving as a PCSO with Surrey Police. As soon as these concerns came to light, he was suspended from duty and a thorough and determined investigation was carried out. A subsequent misconduct hearing found that he would have been dismissed had he not resigned.
“Surrey Police will always proactively seek to identify and remove individuals who fail to abide by the standards of professional behaviour or meet the rigorous expectations of the public.
“The severity of the custodial sentence given to him today is welcome and reflects the gravity of his offending and marks the conclusion of a traumatic and complex investigation.”
