Former Cheshire Police staff member avoids jail over child sex offence
Gary Marsden spoke online with girls he believed to be 14 years old
Last updated 2nd Dec 2024
A former Cheshire Constabulary staff member charged with an online child sex offence has been given a suspended prison sentence following a directed Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation.
50-year-old dad of two Gary Marsden, based at the Regional Control Centre of the Northwest Motorway Unit, was today sentenced to nine months imprisonment suspended for two years after he plead guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, at Liverpool Crown Court on 5 November 2024. He first appeared before North Cheshire Magistrates Court on Tuesday 12 March 2024 where he pleaded not guilty.
Marsden also received a sexual harm prevention order and will be placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
He must complete 150 hours of unpaid work and has been ordered to pay £1,200 in costs.
The court previously heard Marsden sent sexualised messages and images to social media profiles purporting to be children while at work in February 2023. Marsden was arrested in February 2023 by officers from Cheshire Constabulary and resigned from the force in May 2023 during the investigation.
Evidence gathered during the investigation found that Marsden sent sexualised communication with profiles of a 22-year-old and 14-year-old female. Most of the communication took place while he was on duty and includes an image of himself, which he admitted taking at work.
Investigators analysing Marsden’s social media accounts found messaging was not an isolated incident. He engaged in sexual communication with another profile purporting to be a child. Some of this communication also took place whilst he was on duty. Marsden also admitted communication with two other 14-year-old profiles.
Marsden was interviewed under caution on 9 March 2023. During the interview he admitted that a Twitter account was his profile and was only used and accessed by him. He admitted all the alleged communication with the female profiles and sending all images within the communication. However, he did not believe it was real or that he was communicating with a child.
Steve Noonan, IOPC Director of Operations, said: “Marsden’s actions were abhorrent in sexually communicating with someone he believed to be a child on numerous occasions. His actions amounted to predatory behaviour for his own sexual gratification.
“Marsden’s conviction sends a clear message 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 Cheshire Constabulary’s Counter Corruption Unit for their efforts in holding the former staff member accountable for his actions.”
On conclusion of the investigation, carried out by Cheshire Constabulary Counter Corruption Unit under the watchdog's direction, the IOPC referred a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the charge.
They also recommended Marsden had a case to answer for gross misconduct. Following the hearing in January 2024 it was determined that his actions breached the police standards of professional behaviour relating to authority, respect and courtesy, discreditable conduct and honesty and integrity at the level of gross misconduct.
It was ruled he would have been dismissed without notice, had he not already resigned and was placed on the barred list meaning he cannot be employed in policing in the future.