Former police officer from Lancashire sacked over indecent child images
Thomas Woods was dismissed at a misconduct hearing
A former Greater Manchester police officer from Lancashire has been sacked after making and possessing indecent images of children.
Thomas Woods, of Brookdale, New Longton, Preston, was dismissed without notice at a misconduct hearing at GMP headquarters yesterday (14 February).
The former officer, who didn't go to the hearing, will also be placed on the College of Policing Barred List.
Police recovered more than 1,000 indecent images over a ten-year period after Woods was arrested in December 2021.
Two phones and a laptop was seized.
Woods made no comment in interview but went on to plead guilty at court to possessing indecent images of children, making indecent images, possessing prohibited images of children and possessing extreme pornographic images.
He was given a suspended prison sentence, a five-year sexual prevention order and told to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.
He was also ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.
Chief Constable Stephen Watson said:
"It is a very powerful principle that officers should preserve public confidence and the seriousness of the misconduct found in terms of professional behaviour means he has been dismissed without notice.
"Woods has committed very serious criminal offences. His acts were deliberate, unforced and unlawful, and also morally reprehensible.
"He brings the profession into disrepute and damages the confidence the public has in police officers.
"We have to maintain public confidence and this will, of course, diminish that due the level of seriousness.
"Woods’ conduct could not be further removed from what a police officer should be.
"He is a sexual offender and completely forfeited the trust of the public. He will stand perpetually unforgiven by officers and staff whose acts of decency will be tainted."