Honorary Police Officer who was into “child porn” sent to prison for three years.

Tuesday 19 July 2016

A former St John honorary police officer who admitted online that he was “into child porn,” has pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and a further count of distributing pictures, and has been sent to prison for three years.

When States’ Police officers searched 42-year-old Timothy John Luce’s computers and phones they found more than 1,700 indecent still images and 29 movies. They covered the full spectrum of ages from very young children and babies to teenagers. A large amount of adult pornography was also recovered.

In sentencing Luce, Deputy Bailiff Tim Le Cocq, said the court noted that almost 400 of the stills, and 10 of the movies were in the most serious categories four and five; that he’d actively engaged in sex chatrooms; and had taken so-called “creep images.”

According to Mr Le Cocq: “These are not victimless crimes. Real people suffer," and to Luce, “...by being involved you simply add to the market place.”

Outlining the prosecution’s case, Crown Advocate Richard Pedley told the court the investigation began after a mother told school teachers Luce had been sending inappropriate Facebook messages to her 13-year-old daughter. The police interviewed him and searched his computers and phones.

As well as finding the images, software on the computers also showed Luce had shared, distributed and discussed child phonography. During one chat on November 9, 2015, Luce was asked directly whether he was “into child porn.” He was then sent a level three picture and the question was asked again. Luce’s reply: “Yes.”

When searching Luce's computer, police also found “creep images” – images of young girls taken in a surreptitious way. In the words of the prosecution, "...although the girls themselves are unidentifiable, [some of the pictures] are clearly taken in Jersey.” Luce had also posted a photograph of what he claimed was a young girl’s underwear.

In a police interview Luce told officers his main interest was 12 to 13 year old girls, that he had been using chatrooms for 18 months and had got to the stage of using them three to four times a day. He also told the police he needed help.

Luce’s defence, Advocate Natalie Addis, told the court Luce was, “...ashamed and genuinely remorseful for the hurt and embarrassment he had caused… [and that] not a day goes by when he does not regret his actions.”

Advocate Addis also noted that Luce recognised he had “brought shame on the honorary police force,” but that there had been no link between this position of trust and his offences. He had been a constable’s officer for nine years.