FORMER MET POLICE OFFICER THOMAS THORPE CONVICTED OF CHILD SEXUAL OFFENCES IN KINGSTON
A former Metropolitan Police officer, Thomas Thorpe, has been convicted of attempting to molest a child.The case was heard at Kingston Crown Court on March 28, where Thorpe was found guilty on multiple charges, including three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child, and attempting to cause a child under 13 to view an image of sexual activity.
He was also convicted of attempting to induce a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and of attempting sexual communication with a minor.
Thorpe, who engaged in online communication with someone he believed was a 12-year-old girl, was in fact conversing with an undercover officer from West Midlands Police.
Over a four-week period in November and December 2019, he sent sexually explicit images to the simulated girl.
He was arrested on December 6, 2019, and subsequent searches of devices found in his home uncovered indecent images of children, as well as the images sent to the undercover officer.
Following his arrest, Thorpe was suspended from his police duties.
He resigned from the Met Police in September 2022.
An accelerated misconduct hearing held in May 2023 concluded that Thorpe had breached the professional standards, amounting to gross misconduct.
The hearing determined that he would have been dismissed had he not already resigned.
Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain, the local policing commander for South London, stated, “People rightly expect police officers to uphold the highest standards and when an officer fails to meet those standards they can expect to face the consequences of their actions through the courts and our own misconduct process.
Former PC Thorpe’s behaviour was abhorrent and he has been convicted of serious sexual offences.
Prior to his conviction misconduct proceedings established that he would have been sacked had he not already left the organisation.”
