'Porn-addict' Met Police officer walks free after sharing bestiality images and making plans to molest dog

A porn-addicted Metropolitan Police officer who was making plans to molest a dog in a depraved bestiality group chat has been spared jail. George Patmore, 32, walked free with a 15-month suspended sentence at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, September 17, after admitting to publishing an obscene article in relation to images and messages about the sexual abuse of dogs.

Prosecutor Terence Woods said Patmore had an interest in extreme porn, but had been caught with indecent images of children on his phone which he 'inadvertently' downloaded while accessing the bestiality. The zoophile admitted publishing obscene articles but was cleared of three counts of making indecent images after telling a jury he had no idea how they got there during a trial in July.

READ MORE: Dodgy Met Police officer who used dead people's bank details to go shopping is jailed

The investigation began when police raided his family address in in July 2022, seizing a phone which contained 123 extreme porn images and videos. Detectives also found Patmore using the Kik messenger app, on which he played an active part on group chat with a common interest in extreme porn and bestiality between May 2020 and June 2022, the court heard.

Mr Woods said Patmore sent multiple images with humans and dogs engaged in sexual activity 'of various types. This was followed by exchanges from the members about their desires to abuse one member's pet dog.

"It appeared on the face of conversations the defendant was making plans to engage in sexual activity with another participant's pet," added Mr Woods.

Patmore, then a police constable with the Met’s North East Command Unit, was arrested and interviewed, but gave no comment. He also refused to provide a PIN, extending the length of the investigation by some months. Police also discovered an image of a teenage girl engaged in sexual activity with a dog, but Patmore was acquitted for this image after his trial.

During the three-day trial, reported by the Evening Standard, Patmore tearfully conceded he had a sexual interest in bestiality. But he insisted he never looked for images of people under the age of 18. He was questioned about the images in his possession, and search times like 'old man orgy with young teen', but he told the jury he was never taken to sites with images of young teens.

'They were fantasy chats'

On Tuesday afternoon, Mr Woods explained the charge of publishing an obscene article could be compared to possessing extreme pornographic images, which carries a maximum of two years in prison, but, due to the distributive nature of the offence, the maximum sentence under the Obscene Publications Act was up to five years.

Defence counsel Rebecca Hadgett conceded the distribution aspect made it 'a more serious matter', but said her client was 'genuinely remorseful' and had shown insight during his interview with the probation service. She also highlighted Patmore's progress with Sex Addicts Anonymous, where he has been in recovery from porn addiction for two years.

Calling for a suspended sentence, Ms Hadgett said it was 'not a victimless crime' but asked the judge to consider the effect of immediate custody on Patmore's two young daughters, who he still sees once a week.

Mr Woods also called for a Criminal Behaviour Order, to ban Patmore from owning a pet, but Ms Hadgett insisted the disturbing plans had only ever been 'fantasy chats' and that the order would be 'redundant'.

'It undermines public confidence in policing'

Judge Gregory Perrins said he had read the chats where Patmore discussed meeting with people 'to have sex with their dogs', and remarked that publishing the images on the chat was 'significantly more serious' than simple possession.

He also noted Patmore had denied getting gratification from the images, which, the judge said, was 'at odds' with the messages in the chat.

"This offence is plainly aggravated by the fact you were a serving police officer at the time," said the judge, adding: "The public should expect the highest standards from police officers... and not to engage in sort of the depravity involved in the distribution of this material. Though I accept it was not connected to your behaviour, it does undermine public confidence, and you would have known that."

Judge Perrins said the custody threshold was 'clearly crossed', but that he did accept there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. The judge said he would have had 'absolutely no hesitation' in sending Patmore to jail if he had committed the offences while on duty.

Patmore was sentenced to 15 months suspended for 18 months, during which he must complete the Horizon sex offenders programme, 35 days of rehabilitation activity requirement, and 200 hours of unpaid work. The judge declined to make the Criminal Behaviour Order, which means Patmore can own a dog.

Patmore was suspended from duty when he was arrested in July 2022, and his since been sacked, and barred from policing.

Got a story or a court case we should cover? Please email callum.cuddeford@reachplc.com or WhatsApp 07580255582

Don't miss out on the latest crime stories from across London. Sign up to MyLondon's Court & Crime newsletter HERE.