Met Police: Robyn Williams's child abuse video conviction appeal refused

Robyn Williams was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 2003 and was highly commended for her work helping those affected by the Grenfell Tower disaster

A highly decorated Met Police officer who had a child abuse video on her phone has had an appeal against her conviction and sentence dismissed.

Robyn Williams was ordered to do 200 hours of community service in 2019 for possessing an indecent image.

Her trial heard she received the video via WhatsApp from her sister Jennifer Hodge who had originally been sent the clip by her boyfriend Dido Massivi.

Three judges at the Court of Appeal rejected Williams's appeal.

Williams, pictured with London mayor Sadiq Khan, went on to be sacked from her job as a Metropolitan Police superintendent

The 56-year-old's barrister Anesta Weekes QC told the court there was "not even a suggestion" Williams had watched the 54-second video.

The barrister said experts had not been able to examine Williams' phone properly, adding: "There is an element of unfairness here if you do not even have the very phone and you cannot demonstrate on the phone... how clear it (the thumbnail image for the abuse video) would be."

However, Richard Wright QC, for the Crown, argued that the experts at Williams's trial had not been called to give evidence about what she actually saw.

He said that they had given evidence about what was present on her phone to be seen, "and that was the central issue in the case".

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President of the Queen's Bench Division, Dame Victoria Sharp, sitting with Mr Justice Sweeney and Mrs Justice Ellenbogen, refused the appeal, saying the reasons for this would be given at a later time.

Hodge and Massivi also appealed against both conviction and sentence and their appeals were also rejected.

Speaking after the hearing, Victor Marshall of the Police Superintendents' Association, said it would continue to stand by Williams.

Mr Marshall said: "Having vehemently denied any wrongdoing throughout this case, Robyn is understandably disappointed with today's decision.

"Proceedings remain outstanding as we await the full appeal hearing in relation to her dismissal from the Metropolitan Police Service."