A North Yorkshire Police officer who downloaded more than 8,000 indecent images of children has avoided a prison sentence.

Christopher Groom, 41, of Main Street, Claxton, trawled the internet for images of youngsters using search terms such as ‘naked young teens’ and ‘youngest naked models’, Leeds Magistrates Court heard today.

Among the photos downloaded by Groom were sexual images of children between eight and 14-years-old, said prosecutor Charles Macrae.

Groom, who has since resigned from the force, was arrested after police from North Yorkshire’s online abuse team searched his home on December 16, 2021. They seized a computer tower and a mobile phone and took the devices away for analysis.

Groom was brought in for questioning and gave a prepared statement but denied he had been searching for indecent images of children and said he was "shocked" images were found on his device.

Forensic analysis of Groom’s computer tower revealed that he had downloaded 8,707 Category C images of children over what is thought to be a seven-year period.

Mr Macrae said that “file names and internet searches associated with child sexual abuse” were found on the tower.

He was interviewed again in January after the forensic report and provided a further prepared statement in which he claimed he had “not deliberately sought out” indecent images.

Groom, of Main Street, Claxton, was charged with one count of making indecent images of minors between December 2014 and November 2021. He admitted the offence and appeared for sentence today.

Following his arrest, Groom claimed he had initially downloaded what he thought was legal pornography only to find it contained indecent images.

However, the forensic report debunked his claims that the downloads were accidental because “the searches had been made where such (indecent) images were likely to be”.

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Matthew Savage, mitigating, said Groom was now a changed man having voluntarily enrolled on an offenders’ prevention course. He added Groom had resigned from the force because he “felt that his position was untenable". Mr Savage said:

He said Groom “understands fully the impact that this type of offending has” and that his arrest and subsequent conviction had been a “very salutary lesson”.

'Not a victimless crime'

District judge Richard Kitson said the huge number of images was an “aggravating factor” in Groom’s despicable offences:

Mr Kitson told Groom he would not be sending him to jail because the probation service said he was at low risk of reoffending and could be rehabilitated in the community.

He said he had also taken account of the steps that Groom had taken to address his offending and his early guilty plea.

Instead, Groom was given an 18-month community order which includes 30 rehabilitation-activity days and 150 hours’ unpaid work.

He was also ordered to sign on the sex-offenders’ register for five years and made subject to a five-year sexual-harm prevention order to allow police to monitor his internet activities.

As part of his notification requirements, Groom will have to periodically report to Scarborough Police Station.