December 2022 Depraved paedophile police officer who was caught with sick child abuse images A Greater Manchester paedophile police officer hid his face in shame as he walked free from court after  being found with child abuse images on his computer. PC Lee Ashcroft’s laptop had to be sent off to experts at the Government’s intelligence headquarters after he installed encryption software to hamper access, as well as applications to wipe the device clean of incriminating evidence. A search of Lee Ashcroft’s laptop found an eight-minute-long Category A video – the most serious category. Even after investigators cracked the code and discovered a vile movie, the 39-year-old continued to plead his innocence and claimed that he had been the victim of an online fraud campaign. The  39-year-old cried in the dock as he was handed a 10-month sentence of imprisonment suspended for two years Ashcroft was also given a 12 month community order with 120 hours unpaid work and issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order at Liverpool Crown Court. He must also sign the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years and was ordered to pay £1,500 in costs and a victim surcharge of £156.