Peterborough police sacked for misconduct after downloading over 100 indecent images- including of children

A former detective- based at Peterborough's Thorpe Wood Station- has been dismissed from the force for gross misconduct after he downloaded over 100 indecent images from a secure police database of which the majority were of children.

James Jordan was dismissed without notice on Monday (January 30) following a misconduct hearing at Cambridgeshire Constabulary's headquarters in Huntingdon.

Jordan did not contest any of the facts presented at the hearing and even told Chief Constable Nick Dean, who presided over the hearing, that he should fire him.

On August 17, 2022, Jordan accessed the force’s database used to store indecent images of children and victims of voyeurism. He proceeded to download over 100 images.

In total, he accessed 93 indecent images of children. Of those, 62 were Category A in severity, 11 Class B and 20 Category C.

Jordan was found to have no legitimate reason to access the images, which were related to cases from across several counties.

He was arrested the following day and was further arrested on November 8 after a search of electronics taken from his home.

He was arrested on suspicion of making indecent images of children, misconduct in a public office, theft of a mobile phone and misuse of computer systems.

At the hearing, Jordan said: “I don’t contest any of what has been said. I fully accept responsibility for my actions. I apologise unreservedly for my actions. First to all the people that I hurt directly. I can’t imagine the betrayal they must feel, it causes me a lot of anguish that I have caused that harm to others.

“I also apologise to the police and the public. It is rightly expected that we hold ourselves to a higher standard and that we remain open and ethical and I have not fulfilled that. I joined the police with the intent to try and help people and it causes me a lot of distress to know that I have made the job of the police harder.

“If I could take it back I would but I can’t so all I can do is accept full responsibility and agree that you should dismiss me.”

Jordan appeared at St Albans Crown Court on December 10 and pleaded guilty to three counts of misconduct in a public office and five counts of making indecent images of children.

He was due to be sentenced on January 27 but this has now been deferred to February 10.

Chief Constable Nick Dean dismissed him from the force though, stating: “You used data from vulnerable people for your own use, this is totally unacceptable.

“The victims in this case that you have touched by your actions were vulnerable, they had no choice that their data was breached. The harm caused is high.

“In this case, harm has been caused to the reputation of the constabulary. It has dented the confidence that the public have in the police.

“This was planned, it was not a one-off occurrence, you knew exactly what you were doing. You abused your trust as a police officer. The victims showed courage in coming forward, yet you fundamentally broke that trust.

“I can not comprehend the irreparable damage that you have caused to others.”