Former West Mercia Police special constable paid for images of young boys from 'known sex offender'
A former special constable and cadet leader with West Mercia Police paid for images of young boys from a known sex offender.
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Shrewsbury Crown Court was told that Matthew Townend, 58, and formerly of Shrewsbury, had an 'obsession' with indecent images of young boys.
He was sentenced on Friday (March 28), after previously admitting three counts of making indecent photos of a child - in categories A, B, and C.
The offences took place between May 2006 and January 2024.
Dylan Wagg, prosecuting, said that West Mercia Police's online Child Sexual Exploitation Team had received information about the defendant's activities in January 2024.
His IP address was traced and police visited his home.
Mr Wagg said that at the time Townend was a special constable with West Mercia Police, as well as a cadet leader.
Police arrested Townend and seized his devices, including a Samsung flip telephone and a USB stick.
They were found to contain a number of indecent images and videos of boys aged between nine and 15 years old, in categories A, B, and C.
