PC guilty of 'extremely serious' child sex offences

A police officer has pleaded guilty to a string of "extremely serious and appalling" child sex offences.

Avon and Somerset Police's Insp, Thomas Kettleborough, 35, appeared at Exeter Crown Court on Friday, where he admitted to causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual communication with a child.

He was arrested in July 2023, when he travelled to meet what he thought was a child but was instead met by police.

Kettleborough will be sentenced at the same court on Thursday 13 March.

His offences dated between April 2019 to July 2023.

Kettleborough pleaded guilty to the following offences:

• Arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence
• Attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child
• Attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity
• One count of engaging in sexual communication with a child
• One count of possessing an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child
• Three counts of making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child

Det Insp David Wells from the Online Investigations Team said after officers examined Kettleborough's phone and computer, they uncovered further offences which showed he had previously engaged in sexual communication with a child.

"All of the offenders we deal with who are attempting to engage children in sexual activity online and, as in this case, attempt to meet to abuse them, are exploiting young people in the most horrendous way.

"When the offender in question is in such a position of trust like Thomas Kettleborough was, in a role that is about protecting people from harm, the horror of the risk he posed and crimes he committed is intensified," he said.

Kettleborough was suspended from his job after the arrest, and will also face a misconduct investigation.

Assistant Chief Constable Joanne Hall said Kettleborough had been convicted of "extremely serious and appalling offences".

"The gravity of his crimes cannot be underestimated.

"This officer's colleagues have been equally horrified to learn of his abhorrent criminal behaviour and we're making sure anyone who needs support has access to it," she added.

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