Former police community support officer is jailed after admitting 33 child sex offences

A former police community support officer (PCSO) has been jailed for six years for 'abhorrent' child sex offences.

William Redwood, 24, admitted 33 charges including making, taking and distributing indecent images of children and urging a child to engage in sexual activity.

A court heard the former officer from Surrey Police abused boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 17.

The offences took place from 2016 to 2020 when Redwood was between 17 and 22-years-old.

He pleaded guilty at a hearing in July 2022 and was sentenced to six years in prison on Friday.

The crimes were discovered in 2020 when Redwood's supervisor raised concerns that he had formed an inappropriate relationship and accessed confidential police information without a legitimate purpose.

His mobile phone was seized and indecent images of children were found. The investigation was then passed to Surrey Police’s paedophile online investigation team.

Redwood resigned prior to an internal misconduct hearing that took place in December 2020.

During the hearing he was placed on the barred list and told that he would have been dismissed if he had not resigned.

Redwood joined Surrey Police as a PCSO based in Runnymede in October 2019.

Speaking after the case, deputy chief constable Nev Kemp said: “This case has had a devastating impact on the victims involved and I commend them for their bravery in providing us with statements which led to him pleading guilty at an earlier hearing.

“I hope all those affected by his abhorrent criminal actions can take some comfort in the fact that he is now behind bars and that it gives them some closure.

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“It is extremely regrettable that Redwood had the privilege of serving as a PCSO with Surrey Police. As soon as these concerns came to light, he was suspended from duty and a thorough and determined investigation was carried out.

“A subsequent misconduct hearing found that he would have been dismissed had he not resigned.”

He added: “Surrey Police will always proactively seek to identify and remove individuals who fail to abide by the standards of professional behaviour or meet the rigorous expectations of the public.

“The severity of the custodial sentence given to him today is welcome and reflects the gravity of his offending and marks the conclusion of a traumatic and complex investigation.”