NICHOLAS POOL FROM PENRITH JAILED FOR CHILD SEX CRIMES IN CUMBRIA AND ULVERSTON

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Nicholas Pool, a former police officer from Penrith, has been sentenced to a significant prison term after being found guilty of engaging in a series of heinous online child sex crimes. The offences, which spanned several months and involved multiple instances of attempted grooming and possession of indecent images of children, highlight the severity of his misconduct and the breach of trust inherent in his role as a law enforcement officer.

Pool, aged 29, was convicted at Carlisle Crown Court on May 5 after a detailed investigation uncovered his involvement in online chats that were both sexually explicit and predatory in nature. The court was informed that Pool was caught in a police sting late last year, where he engaged in sexually charged conversations with an undercover officer posing as a 12-year-old girl. During these exchanges, Pool made comments indicating his awareness of the child's age, claiming he was 28 and questioning whether he was 'too old' to be speaking with her. He also made inappropriate remarks about the dangers of online predation, warning about other pedophiles and joking about the consequences of his own actions, such as saying, 'If I dated a 12-year-old I would go to jail,' and 'if I got caught kissing you I would LOL.'

Further investigations revealed that Pool's offending was not limited to online chats. Authorities uncovered evidence of lewd online role-play and fantasies involving others who purported to be young girls. These activities took place while Pool was serving as a police officer with Cumbria Constabulary, based in Barrow, although his personal residence was in the Penrith area. The seriousness of his misconduct was compounded by the discovery of indecent images on his laptop, including four classified as Category A, the most severe classification for such material.

Following his arrest and the subsequent investigation, Pool was dismissed from the police force without notice during a misconduct hearing earlier this year. His personal life has also been affected; his wife has filed for divorce, and he has not seen his child since being remanded into custody. The court heard that Pool had admitted to nine counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, as well as charges related to making and possessing indecent images of children, some of which were in the most serious category. He also pleaded guilty to publishing an obscene article.

Judge James Adkin sentenced Pool to three and a half years in prison, emphasizing the repugnant nature of his sexual fantasies and the gravity of his offences. The judge stated that only a custodial sentence was appropriate given the circumstances. In addition to his prison term, Pool is required to sign the sex offenders' register for life and is subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. He is also permanently barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.

Earlier in January 2017, Pool had already admitted to attempting to groom a girl he believed was 12 years old, only to discover she was actually an undercover officer. This incident was part of a police sting operation aimed at catching online predators. During that period, Pool made contact with the undercover officer on multiple occasions, including in Penrith and nearby Ulverston. He was suspended from duty at the time and remains in custody pending sentencing, which was scheduled for March 8 but postponed after both sides agreed he was not yet ready for sentencing. No bail was granted, and he continues to be held in custody as the case proceeds.