A Metropolitan Police staff member has appeared in court accused of photographing and sharing images of dead crash victims following a fatal collision that took place on the A13 in Wennington.
Luke Pearce, 26, from Sandhurst, Berkshire, is charged with two counts of misconduct in a public office. He appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, 28 August.
Alleged Incident
The charges relate to a crash in East London on 15th July 2024, in which three people died.
Prosecutors allege Pearce used his mobile phone to take images of the interior of a BMW involved in the collision, which contained human remains. The court was told the photos included “bodily matter”, including brains.
It is further alleged that Pearce then airdropped the images to another Metropolitan Police staff member.
Prosecution and Defence
Prosecutor Dickon Reid told the court:
“The defendant is accused of taking photos of human remains after a road traffic accident and thereafter distributing them.”
Defence counsel Kerrie Ann Rowan said there was no dispute about the conduct alleged, but argued over whether Pearce could legally be considered “a public police officer” and whether he had access to the Police National Computer (PNC) at the time.
Background
According to his own social media, Pearce worked at a Metropolitan Police car pound between July 2020 and October 2024. He has since retrained and now works as a mechanic.
He appeared in court wearing a white shirt and dark jumper, speaking only to confirm his identity. He did not enter a plea.
Next Hearing
Judge Tony Baumgartner granted Pearce unconditional bail. The case has been adjourned until 17 October, when he is due to appear again at Southwark Crown Court.
