FORMER POLICE OFFICER DAVID NUTTON OF NEWPORT JAILED FOR ABUSING YOUNG BOY AND PASSING POLICE INFORMATION

In June 2004, David Nutton, a 38-year-old former police constable from Kingfisher Close, Newport, was sentenced to prison for serious misconduct and indecent assault. Nutton was jailed for 18 months for misconduct in office after he provided sensitive police information to Vaughan Evans, a spiritual humanist church minister and friend, which facilitated Evans’s continued abuse of young children.

The court heard that between January 1 and September 25 of the previous year, Nutton, serving on the Isle of Wight, was approached by Evans, who asked if he was under investigation for paedophile offences following accusations that he allowed boys to stay overnight at his residence. Nutton accessed the Hampshire police intelligence system and the police national computer to check for any investigation, and found there was none at that time. He then passed this information to Evans.

Vaughan Evans, from Freshwater, Isle of Wight, was later sentenced to five years in prison for charges including indecently assaulting a 10-year-old boy and distributing and making indecent images of children.

Additionally, Nutton pleaded guilty to the charge of gross misconduct in office. In March, he was convicted of indecently assaulting a boy between 1988 and 1990. The court revealed that Nutton, who joined the police six years prior, had invited the young boy to his home to watch videos and had indecently assaulted him.

Judge Patrick Hooton addressed Nutton during sentencing, saying: "You were a serving police officer, you have debased your badge, brought shame on your force, and created a scandal on the Isle of Wight because of your conviction for indecent assault on a young boy when you were much younger."

He further commented on the misconduct, stating: "You supplied information which was confidential to the police investigating your friend, thereby alerting him to the possibility of continuing his actions. I am not claiming you provided the information intentionally for that purpose, but that was the outcome. It was very serious, and you deserve a prison sentence."

Nutton has reportedly served nine months of his sentence, which corresponds to the 18-month term, and is therefore likely to be released immediately.