PCSO 'used vile degrader alias' online, court hears

Jonathan Plummer, who was based in Wakefield as a PCSO, is on trial at Leeds Crown Court

A neighbourhood policing officer went by the username "vile degrader" while accessing and sharing child abuse images, a court was told.

An investigator found Jonathan Plummer, 35, used the alias on various websites and communications apps, a jury heard.

Leeds Crown Court was told his personal phone also had sensitive information related to his policing work, including photos of evidence and crime numbers.

He denies making and distributing indecent images of a child.

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The court previously heard Mr Plummer, who worked in Wakefield, had more than 2,100 images and 200 videos of child abuse on his personal phone, with some in the most serious category A.

Joshua Ramskill, who specialises in digital evidence for West Yorkshire Police, confirmed some search history on Mr Plummer's phone could not be recovered due to privacy browsers.

The "vile degrader" username had been linked to several of the defendant's online communication platforms, the jury heard.

Prosecutor Louise Reevell told the court images of seized cannabis plants, names of offenders and their crime numbers were also found on Mr Plummer's personal phone and asked Mr Ramskill "if this would be classed as sensitive information".

"Very much so, yes," he replied.

Mr Plummer worked in a neighbourhood policing team for West Yorkshire Police as well as a being a Cyber Prevent Officer.

The court previously heard he told detectives during interview that he didn't know how the images had come to be on his phone.

He denies a further offence of possessing extreme pornography.

The trial continues.