Ex-Cop Busted for Hoarding 8,700 Child Abuse Images
Christopher Douglas Groom, 41, a former North Yorkshire police officer, was slapped with an 18-month community order after pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of children.
Shocking Scale of the Crime
Groom, from Claxton near Malton, admitted amassing 8,707 Category C indecent photographs between December 2014 and November 2021. These images are considered the least serious category, but the volume is staggering.
He was an officer in the Hambleton and Richmond response team before his arrest on December 16, 2021, and had been suspended since then.
Justice Served, No Favours
The courts ordered Groom to complete 30 rehabilitation days with Safer Lives and 150 hours of unpaid work. He has been on the Sex Offenders Register for five years and is under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
North Yorkshire Police assured the public that Groom’s status as an officer did not shield him. Detective Sergeant Steve Alderson said:
“We established beyond any doubt that Groom actively sought out and viewed a significant number of child sexual abuse images. Our investigation was thorough, treating him like any other offender.”
Police Hit Back at Betrayal of Public Trust
Deputy Chief Constable Mabs Hussain condemned Groom’s actions:
“This is critical to ensuring that the communities we serve have complete trust in their police service. Groom’s criminal actions have betrayed that trust and North Yorkshire Police.”
The force is now considering an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing. Groom resigned days before his first court appearance on May 18.
North Yorkshire Police remain committed to rooting out offenders, no matter their position.
