Military police officer caught with indecent images of children avoids jail

Andrew Stevenson must perform 200 hours of unpaid work

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A former military police officer who was caught with indecent images of children has avoided jail.

Andrew Stevenson, 24, who worked as a firearms officer with the Ministry of Defence Police in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, was given a three-year community order at Carlisle Crown Court on Friday.

Stevenson, who was serving when he committed the offences, had his home in Ulverston raided on 17 August last year by Cumbria Police following a tip-off.

Officers seized an iPad and an iPhone which contained 165 indecent images, including 94 Category A images - which contain the most serious abuse.

Stevenson pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to three offences of making indecent images in June 2021.

Katie Beattie, senior crown prosecutor for CPS North West, said: “As a serving police officer, Andrew Stevenson was expected to uphold the law and protect people.

“By downloading these images he was feeding directly into an industry which sexually exploits children.

“The CPS and the police will continue to work together to robustly prosecute anyone who commits such abhorrent offences, particularly those in positions of trust in our society.”

Steven must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and attend a behavioural programme. The defendant's electronic device were confiscated.

He was also issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign the Sex Offenders register for five years, the CPS said.