Former Humberside Police officer jailed for online child sex abuse

Former Humberside Police officer Richard Cammidge was jailed for 15 months

A former Humberside Police officer who engaged in sexual communication with a child and then refused to hand over his phone PIN to investigators has been jailed.

Richard Cammidge, 41, who was based in Bridlington, pleaded guilty to four charges on 10 May at Hull Crown Court.

On Friday, he was sentenced at the same court to 15 months' imprisonment.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) labelled Cammidge's actions "abhorrent".

Cammidge, of Scarborough Road, Driffield, was found to have committed the crimes, via online platforms, between May 2018 and October 2021.

He was jailed after pleading guilty to making an indecent photograph of a child, failing to comply with a section 49 notice to disclose the key to protected information, engaging in sexual communication with a child and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

'Appalling behaviour'

According to the IOPC, computers and an iPhone were seized as part of the investigation into Cammidge, however, he refused to provide the PIN for his phone, meaning it was not possible to access data contained on it.

After sentencing, Steve Noonan, the IOPC's director of major investigations, said: "PC Cammidge's actions were abhorrent in sexually communicating with someone he believed to be a child on numerous occasions.

"His refusal to allow investigators access to his iPhone, despite being required to do so by law, shows how he tried to disrupt the investigation and evade facing consequences for his actions.

"He has rightly received a prison sentence for his appalling behaviour which significantly undermines the public confidence in policing."

Mr Noonan said he was grateful to Humberside Police's counter-corruption unit for "their efforts in holding this former officer accountable for his actions."

Cammidge resigned before a Humberside Police gross misconduct hearing scheduled for January. The panel determined that had he still been an officer, he would have been dismissed.

He will be added to the College of Policing barred list preventing future employment with any force.

Cammidge was also handed an eight-year sexual harm prevention order and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £140.