Former Humberside Police officer sentenced for child sex offences

A former Humberside Police officer charged with child sex offences has been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment and handed a sexual harm prevention order, following a directed Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation.

Former PC Richard Cammidge, who was based in Bridlington, pleaded guilty to four charges prior to today’s hearing at Hull Crown Court.

On conclusion of the investigation, carried out by Humberside Police under our direction, we decided a file of evidence should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service in September 2022, which authorised the following charges:

• Making an indecent photograph of a child
• Failing to comply with a section 49 notice to disclose the key to protected information
• Engaging in sexual communication with a child
• Attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child

Cammidge was arrested at his home address on 19 November 2021. During the course of the investigation, computers and telephone devices were seized from his address, these included his iPhone.

We established that between May 2018 and October 2021, the former officer engaged in sexual communication via online platforms with children.

It was established that Cammidge initiated a conversation of a sexual nature with a young girl. A computer seized from Cammidge’s address, contained a Category C indecent image from the same child.

Following his arrest, Cammidge refused to provide a PIN for his mobile phone when asked by investigators, meaning it was not possible to access data contained on it. The officer therefore failed to comply with a section 49 notice to disclose the key to protected information.

IOPC Director of Major Investigations Steve Noonan said: “PC Cammidge’s actions were abhorrent in sexually communicating with someone he believed to be a child on numerous occasions.

“His refusal to allow investigators access to his iPhone, despite being required to do so by law, shows how he tried to disrupt the investigation and evade facing consequences for his actions.

“He has rightly received a prison sentence for his appalling behaviour which significantly undermines the public confidence in policing. Our involvement ensured independent oversight of this sensitive investigation and I am grateful to Humberside Police’s counter-corruption unit for their efforts in holding this former officer accountable for his actions.”

At the end of the IOPC directed investigation we concluded that Mr Cammidge had a case to answer for gross misconduct. He resigned before a gross misconduct hearing arranged by the force on 26 January 2023 when a panel determined that had he still been an officer, he would have been dismissed. He will also be added to the College of Policing barred list preventing future employment with the police service.