West Midlands Police inspector sentenced for indecent images

Insp Lee Bartram was found with more than 450 indecent images of children on his devices

A former police inspector who admitted making and distributing more than 450 indecent images of children has been given a suspended sentence.

Lee Bartram, 44, who was based in Birmingham for West Midlands Police, also filmed a young boy while on duty.

Last September he was found guilty of gross misconduct and sacked from the force.

He was give a 16-month jail sentence suspended for two years and a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

A hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court was told Bartram had uploaded illegal pictures to the Tumblr photo-sharing website, which led to his arrest last August.

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Bartram, of Bustleholme Lane, West Bromwich, was released on bail while the investigation continued, but officers re-arrested him when an examination of his iPhone and iPad uncovered further images.

One showed a boy, thought to be aged eight or nine walking through Birmingham city centre, who was filmed while he was on duty.

Bartram admitted misconduct in public office, eight charges of making indecent images and two of distributing them.

West Midlands Police Deputy Chief Constable Louisa Rolfe said his former colleagues were "disgusted and sickened by his actions".

"We rightly expect our officers to be exemplary role models," she said.