PCSO who ‘fantasised about rape’ used police computer ‘for child sex abuse images’

A PCSO used a force computer to obtain hundreds of images of children being sexually assaulted, a court has heard.

Jonathan Plummer, 35, is accused of several offences against children including distributing and making indecent images and possession of extreme pornographic images.

On the first day of his trial at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday, it was heard police recovered a "very large number" of images of children aged from babies through to teenagers from his property.

Plummer, a "cyber prevention officer", is also accused of possessing extreme images involving women.

Plummer, a PCSO in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, used a variety of aliases to obtain indecent images to satisfy rape fantasies, the court heard.

In total, he is charged with seven offences relating to the possession, making and distribution of indecent images.

The alleged crimes, which involved Plummer using the aliases "Ronin" and "Vile Degrader", took place between July and August 2018.

Prosecuting Louise Reevell told the jury how a digital examination of Plummer’s Samsung mobile phone revealed 339 still images and 133 moving images of category A – the most serious category – 258 still images and 25 moving images of category B and 1,256 still images and 42 moving images of category C.

The prosecution say Plummer used a force computer system to help cover his tracks.

Reevell said police conducted an audit of their Niche computer system that allegedly revealed Plummer had used it to search for material relating to offences involving indecent images of children and sexual offences.

She added: “He [Plummer] fantasises about rape, he likes pornography, he likes extreme pornography, child pornography and has obtained it, possessed it and distributed it."

Plummer, who is currently suspended from the force, denies all offences.

The trial continues.