Overview
- Lincoln Crown Court imposed a six-month sentence suspended for 21 months on Ian Walpole, 43, after his guilty pleas to three counts of making indecent images of children.
- Police recovered 246 illegal files from two phones, including numerous Category A images and videos, with one video over 16 minutes showing the abuse of a 12-year-old boy.
- Prosecutors said attempts to delete or conceal the files aggravated the offending and warned the case risked further eroding public trust in policing.
- The court also imposed a sexual harm prevention order, 50 rehabilitation activity days, and 100 hours of unpaid work.
- Humberside Police confirmed Walpole had been suspended and its deputy chief constable called the crimes sickening and inexcusable, noting the damage to public confidence.