Derbyshire PCSO jailed for sexual offences against children

A judge said Matthew Shaw had "brought shame and disgrace onto yourself, your family and the police force"

A police community support officer who "pressured" seven girls on three continents to engage in sex acts online has been jailed for 14 years.

Matthew Shaw, 38, used two fictitious online personae to convince girls in Australia, the UK and United States to send videos to him.

Shaw, of Bernard Avenue, Mansfield Woodhouse, also filmed children in swimming pool changing rooms.

The father-of-two was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday.

Warning: Contains details some readers may find upsetting

As well as a custodial sentence, Shaw - who had been a PCSO for 15 years and served with Derbyshire Constabulary - must also serve six years on extended licence, and will be on the sex offenders register and subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Girls pressured

The court heard Shaw had sent messages to many young people on social media sites, with the charges concerning seven girls aged between 11 and 14.

One girl, from New Jersey in the United States, was involved in messages over a period of nearly a year, with records of their conversations running to more than 2,500 pages.

Robert Underwood, prosecuting, told the court the girl had believed she was in a relationship with Shaw, who used his influence over her to get her to send explicit videos.

"The defendant referred to her as 'my baby angel'," he said.

"[Shaw] was putting pressure on her, saying that if she didn't [send footage] he would stop talking to her or he would kill himself."

Shaw incited the girl to send videos of her performing sex acts, including one which involved her pet dog.

Matthew Shaw had been a PCSO for 15 years, and was serving with Derbyshire Police before being arrested

The court heard a 13-year-old girl in south Wales was contacted by Shaw on Snapchat, where he used a persona of a teenaged girl with a brother.

Mr Underwood said the brother character "sent her gifts through the post" and also threatened to kill himself to receive pictures and videos of sex acts.

The girl later told police she "felt pressured" into sending footage.

Two girls were also encouraged by the defendant to involve their younger sisters in further acts.

The court heard one had filmed a video showing her sleeping sibling, though it was not indecent, while with the other girl Shaw wrote explicit messages about having sex with them.

Mr Underwood said a girl who was 12 when contacted by Shaw and lived in Perth, Australia, felt forced into sending videos of sex acts.

"She was reluctant, but was fearful the defendant would be able to find her and hurt her or her family," he said.

'Uncomfortable and scared'

The court heard a victim impact statement from a girl who said Shaw's abuse had had a "devastating" impact.

"If you can't trust a PCSO, who can you trust?" she said.

Shaw's offending came to light in April 2022 when he put a camera under a cubicle of a leisure centre changing room, and a 10-year-old girl reported the incident to her mother.

Days later he was arrested by police, who as well as the online messages and videos also found further voyeuristic footage taken at Lammas Leisure Centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield and the Rebecca Adlington Leisure Centre in Mansfield.

The court heard he had also been reported by a colleague to his PCSO supervisor after she was concerned by his behaviour.

After being arrested Shaw continued to have communications online with some of his victims, and in August last year while on bail he then carried out further voyeuristic filming at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest.

'Shame and disgrace'

The court heard Shaw denied to police he had a sexual interest in children or specifically filmed them, but admitted filming about 100 videos in changing rooms.

In total he pleaded guilty to nine counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, 12 counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and three counts of voyeurism.

Sentencing, Judge William Harbage KC said Shaw had "brought shame and disgrace onto yourself, your family and the police force", adding the offending "went on for a prolonged period" and describing the defendant as being of high risk to children.

"These are appalling offences which will fill right-thinking members of the public with horror, revulsion and disgust."

Matthew Shaw was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court

Judge Harbage said the "despicable" voyeurism was committed against people "going about their daily lives", and noted it resulted in Shaw being reported to his PCSO supervisor.

"Sadly it does not appear that that was acted upon," he said.

Simon Blatchly, Deputy Chief Constable of Derbyshire Constabulary, said: "Matthew Shaw's offences are utterly shocking.

"As soon as the allegations came to light Shaw was suspended from his role as a Police Community Support Officer - and the force assisted colleagues in Nottinghamshire Police with their investigation. He subsequently resigned from his position last year.

"Through that investigation it was concluded that none of Shaw's offending was found to have taken place while he was on duty - and no victims were identified as being linked to his role."