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Ex-North Yorkshire Police Officer Given Suspended Sentence for Voyeurism and Child Image Offences

The force had already dismissed him for gross misconduct following an accelerated hearing, with the chief constable calling his behaviour incompatible with policing.

Overview

  • Paul Beckwith, 53, pleaded guilty at York Crown Court to five counts of voyeurism and three counts of possessing indecent images of children.
  • He received 14 months’ imprisonment suspended for 18 months, with 24 days of rehabilitative activity, a 12‑day mental health treatment requirement, and 10 years on the sex offenders’ register.
  • Police found 11 category A images, two category B, nine category C, and 279 covert photos he took of a woman and four girls over several months, including two indecent images he created.
  • Victims told the court they felt violated after discovering his secret photos, and the judge cited rehabilitation steps and family impact in opting for a suspended term.
  • Arrested in November 2024 and again in March 2025, Beckwith was dismissed without notice in April, placed on the barred list, and his conduct was condemned as undermining public confidence; the offences occurred while serving but not on duty.