Ex-policeman jailed for indecency

A former police officer has been jailed for pleasuring himself in front of an internet web camera while a 15-year-old girl watched on her computer.

Anthony Smith, then an officer with the Metropolitan Police, was in touch with the girl for six months, a court heard.

Smith, 40, of Hurst Park, West Molesey, Surrey, denied gross indecency towards a child, but was found guilty and was jailed for 18 months on Thursday.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard he never met the girl, who is from Hampshire.

Posing with gun

Smith, who worked in the special firearms squad at Heathrow Airport, chatted online with the girl from April 2003, the court heard.

He first contacted her on 5 April and was in touch with her again 10 more times before committing the offence on 23 April.

The victim told police child abuse experts that Smith sent her images of himself in uniform and posing with his gun.

Despite knowing her age and vulnerability to sex abuse, you continued with your advances Judge Derwin Hope

She also told them he had pleasured himself in front of the webcam and constantly asked her for nude pictures of herself, despite knowing her age.

The jury was told he also called her on her mobile phone while he was at work.

Her computer was examined and pictures of Smith - not thought to be indecent - were found along with "chat logs" recording times they had chatted over the net.

Swabs taken from his webcam showed evidence he had been pleasuring himself, the court heard.

After the victim contacted police Smith was arrested in December 2003, when his computer and webcam were seized.

'Breach of trust'

During the trial Smith admitted having sexually explicit conversations with the girl and asking for nude pictures.

But he said this was sexual fantasy role-play between them and denied pleasuring himself.

The court heard the girl had confided in Smith, who had received bravery awards for his police work, that she was an abuse victim.

Judge Derwin Hope told Smith: "Despite knowing her age and vulnerability to sex abuse, you continued with your advances.

"Your actions involved an enormous breach of trust, not only to the girl and her parents but also to society in general who expect police officers to protect children and not abuse them."

As well as being jailed, Smith, who has lost his job, was placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and disqualified from working with children.