Police officer made indecent child images
PA MediaA police officer who was found to have downloaded indecent images of children would have been dismissed if he was still on the force, according to a chief constable.
During a search of Northumbria Police officer Paul Yeoman's home, on 9 May 2025, his mobile phone containing more than 80 illegal images was seized.
He pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images of children and was sentenced at Teesside Magistrates' Court on 12 December.
Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine said Yeoman's "serious" criminal offences undermined the public's trust in the police and she barred him from serving as a police officer again.
Yeoman was sentenced to an 18-month community order, 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 200 hours of unpaid work.
He was also subject to a five-year notification requirement and a sexual harm prevention order for the same length of time.
Yeoman provided the misconduct hearing with a letter accepting he had possession of the images.
However, he claimed to have downloaded pornography, saw the indecent images and deleted them without reporting them.
In the letter he also apologised and admitted his actions amounted to gross misconduct.
Jardine said Yeoman would have been dismissed if he was still a serving officer.
