Ex-PC given suspended sentence for extreme porn

A former Merseyside police officer who admitted possessing "highly disturbing" extreme pornography has been given a suspended sentence.

Ryan Connolly, 41, was cleared last week of misconduct in a public office after selfies he had taken while on duty at the scene of a teenager's death and pictures of vulnerable people detained at hospitals were found on his phone in 2020.

He was sentenced earlier at Manchester Crown Court for three offences of possessing extreme pornography, relating to videos found in the sent folder of his WhatsApp.

The court heard two of the videos showed sexual acts involving animals and the third showed an act likely to result in serious injury.

Connolly, of Huyton, Merseyside, pleaded guilty to the charges on the first day of a trial in November 2021.

Sentencing him, Recorder of Manchester Judge Nicholas Dean KC said one of the videos, which showed a man appearing to cause injury to himself, was "repugnant and worryingly so, in the sense it involves scenes of a masochistic or sadistic nature".

He added: "It is highly disturbing and an image that even described, let alone seen, leaves an indelible impression."

Charlotte Rimmer, defending, said a number of character references had been received for Connolly, who was working as a self-employed health and safety auditor and had had another child since the proceedings started.

The judge told Connolly it was likely he would have been given an immediate prison sentence if there had not been so long a delay.

He said: "You pleaded guilty to these matters in 2021, nearly five years ago now. It seems it would be inappropriate to send you immediately to prison."

Connolly was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work as well as being made subject to sex offender notification requirements for 10 years.

Last week, the jury in Connolly's trial was discharged when the judge ruled the prosecution's evidence could not amount to proving Connolly committed misconduct and it would not be legal for a jury to consider verdicts on the charges.

Jurors had heard Connolly, a constable with Merseyside Police, took selfies, including one lying on the grass, when he was deployed to guard a cordon after 16-year-old Daniel Gee-Jamieson was killed in Belle Vale, Liverpool, in 2018.

More than 50 photos, including pictures of vulnerable people detained at hospitals as well as images of force systems and Connolly's colleagues, were found in the sent folder of messaging app WhatsApp on his personal phone when he was arrested in February 2020, the court heard.

Connolly was formally dismissed in 2021 by Merseyside Police, who described his behaviour as "deplorable".

A misconduct hearing was told other images found on his phone were racist, homophobic and mocked disabled people, and messages showed he socialised with a known criminal.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.