Porn trial set for Soham officers

Antony Goodridge (left) and Brian Stevens leaving court

Two police officers involved in the Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells murder inquiry have been committed for crown court trial on child pornography charges.

Detective Constable Brian Stevens, 41, and PC Antony Goodridge, 34, appeared on Friday at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates' Court in Suffolk.

The court extended conditional bail for both defendants.

Detective Stevens also faces three charges of indecent assault on two females under 16 between January and August 2001 and October 1998 and October 2001.

Charge discontinued

He faces five allegations of possessing an indecent photograph of a child between January and September 2002, and two charges of distributing an indecent photograph of a child during the same dates.

A charge of inciting the distribution of indecent photographs of children was discontinued by the court.

Mr Stevens was a police family liaison officer appointed to the family of Jessica Chapman during the investigation into the disappearance of the 10-year-old friends.

Mr Goodridge, who was an exhibits officer during the Soham inquiry, faces 14 charges of possession of an indecent photo of a child between September and November last year.

He is also charged with possession of an indecent photograph of a child with a view to it being distributed between June and September last year, and an alternative new charge of distribution of an indecent photo of a child between the same dates.

A charge of inciting the distribution of indecent photographs of children was discontinued by the court.