Five years prison for ‘sex secret’ PCSO’s offences on underage schoolgirl

A former police community support officer (PCSO) who begged a 15-year-old schoolgirl not to tell his colleagues or superiors about a sexual relationship has been jailed for five years.

Daniel Childs performed sexual acts on the victim – now 23 – having encouraged her to play truant from lessons, Leicester Crown Court was told.

Childs, who joined Nottinghamshire Police in 2007 and was dismissed from the force in July 2015, got to know the girl when he visited her school as a PCSO for a charity event and they exchanged mobile phone numbers.

The 30-year-old, based at Ollerton, was found guilty of two charges of engaging in sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 between 2007 and 2008 – although acquitted of allegations of sexual activity with other girls and misconduct in a public office.

Judge Simon Hammond imposed a sexual harm prevention order and told Childs he would remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

While sentencing Childs, the judge told the court: “The defendant was a police community support officer. His job was to enforce the law, not to take advantage of an underage girl.

“What he did was a gross breach of trust – to his work colleagues as well as to members of the public.

“What the defendant did with that underage girl was a gross abuse of trust by a police community support officer; having sexual activity with a girl who he knew was underage, because she told him she was 15, and he warned her not to tell anyone, including the police, as she was underage.”

Childs had said in a prepared statement to police after his arrest that he knew the 15-year-old and attended her school once in his official capacity. He denied he had contact with her or encouraged her to play truant.

The ex-PCSO also said in the statement that he did not engage in any sexual activity with her as a 15-year-old “against her will or otherwise”, the court heard.

Defence counsel Alisdair Williamson said: “In effect there was an exchange of phone numbers and thereafter a meeting.

“Of course nothing I say is designed to detract from the seriousness of these offences.

“His selfish and criminal acts have had effects far beyond that which he could have conceived and he must live with that every day.”

He said Childs`s pregnant wife was standing by him.

Temporary Detective Superintendent Paul Murphy, of the force`s Professional Standards Directorate, said: “Cases of this nature are rare and risk damaging the trust and confidence of our communities.

“The public deserve high standards from the police, while Child`s failed to display any standard of decent behaviour in his conduct.

“With thoughts for the victim, I acknowledge the court`s strong sentence and trust it contributes to a sense of justice for the victim and their family.”