Charges were brought after investigation into Essex Police's Child Abuse Team
DC Sharon Patterson and former DC Lee Pollard are now on trial for misconduct
Prosecutors say they destroyed and forged documents to bring probes to an end
Two police officers sabotaged a string of child sex abuse investigations out of a combination of 'cynical disdain' for accusers and laziness, a court has heard.
Detective constables Sharon Patterson, 49, and Lee Pollard, 47, forged documents and concealed evidence over a three-year period, the Old Bailey heard today.
The events, according to the Daily Mail, and the prosecutor:
The Essex Police officers, who were in a relationship, discussed a plot over email, with Pollard thanking Patterson as his 'partner in deceptive crime', jurors heard.
One count against Patterson involves a teenager who said that - from the age of six - she was regularly raped by her father over some five years, which was supported by a sister's previous allegations.
But the mother's persistence proves this to be 'completely untrue', the prosecutor said, with the mother later leaving an 'urgent' message with another officer asking Patterson to update her.
Patterson, jurors heard, emailed back to her colleague: 'URGENT!!!! F***ing cheek of the woman!! I have left tons of messages on her answer machine and she NEVER responds to them.'
Then Patterson allegedly advised a supervisor that the case should be dropped, saying the claims were down to a 'bitter' ex-wife trying to make life difficult for her husband, who seemed a 'broken man'.
It was decided the case should not even be passed to the CPS for a charging decision, with a supervisor citing the mother not being willing to corroborate evidence as a key reason.
Patterson's 'deceit', the prosecutor said, 'directly contributed to this investigation being brought to a close'.
Alexandra Healy QC, prosecuting, said: 'The allegations against them involve the forging of documents, concealment of evidence and the misrepresentation of the state of investigations, and the evidence involved in investigations, to supervising officers.
'The effect was that allegations involving child sex offences were not properly investigated.
'The motivation appears to have been a combination of laziness, self-preservation and sometimes a cynical disdain for complainants in these child abuse allegations.'
The officers, who live together in Colchester, Essex, each deny three counts of misconduct in a public office between 2011 and 2014.
In one investigation, it is alleged Patterson forged an accuser's signature and falsely claimed to prosecutors that two teachers who may have been witnesses were dead.
Pollard allegedly removed and destroyed four photographs that were 'important exhibits' to an investigation and also misrepresented evidence to his supervisor so no further action was taken in a separate probe.
The allegations came to light when performance reviews were carried out into the child abuse investigation team, in the north of the county, which they worked in.
But the defendants' conduct went 'beyond incompetence' and was not because of a 'lack of resources' or 'insufficient investigative manpower', the prosecutor said.
The trial continues.
'Laziness'? 'Corruption' would be probably the better word. And why do you think had they 'deceit' for the victims?!
Pablolove ago
And people wonder why folk are reluctant to come forward and report these things. This is what victims of abuse are up against. It's really not worth the hassle. Speaking from personal experience my family did report and I really wish we didn't. The system is designed to make sure u fail, make no mistake. This is deliberate and sinister, no question.
think- ago
Yes.
At least everyone should be aware that it might be difficult, and much depends on the prosecutor and the police in your area. I'd still encourage survivors to come forward, and go to police, but make sure you'll have good support.
Sorry about that, @Pablolove. :-/
shewhomustbeobeyed ago
theguardian - https://archive.is/DguWw and https://archive.is/DpKOb
bbc - https://archive.is/gUpqU
gazette - https://archive.is/iZJsi
think- ago
Grateful, as always. :-)
shewhomustbeobeyed ago
You. xoxo
think- ago
xoxo ;-)
Rawrination ago
Taking bets on if this "Trial" will actually result in anything. My bet is on no. Nothing will change. Girls in the UK are going to keep getting groomed and raped and turned into good little islamic slaves, and the so called men of the nation are going to sit on their asses and let it happen.
Everyone is too afraid of the government and the government is only afraid of muslims because they explode.
Talc ago
the fact that it's got as far as trial means that the coverup-machine known as IPCC couldn't keep a lid on it, there's a piece of evidence against them they can't destroy, discredit, or otherwise explain away. Tampering with and destroying evidence is SOP for most UK police. A glance at one of my local police stations could lead you to believe that sexual degeneracy is also SOP, firmly linking my local constabulary with the elite BBC paedo ring.
truthdemon ago
Its not an islamic problem....its a satanic problem..and pakistan and aga khan run the satanic element in the east ...aga khan is an mi6 agent together with the wahabbis...both are mi6 inventions..that is controlled by satanic elements... The essex police officers clearly r memebers of the same satanic culture....and like u rightly pointed out , judges r involved as gatekeepers... The only way out of this control.is to have sociopathic tests for publicnofficers
letsdothis3 ago
Essex Police: 25 officers suspended, handling of child sex abuse cases investigated
@think-
think- ago
Thank you!
Talc ago
there's more pigs and kikes raping people than there are ragheads doing the same.
Rawrination ago
You're not wrong! Its jut the ragheads are more obvious at a glance. Its the kikes and their puppets in power that got the UK into (and keep it in) this mess to begin with. Along with the destruction of manliness.
Humans lost the world wars and we are living in a post apocalyptic earth.
Vindicator ago
It does appear this may be true
letsdothis3 ago
You forgot the link: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6602607/Essex-Detectives-destroyed-evidence-child-abuse-investigations-dropped.html
LOL. Taking the fall...
octobear ago
Now lets see their punishment. My guess is lenient.
letsdothis3 ago
Those two are taking one for the team. There were many more involved.
think- ago
Thanks! :-)
think- ago
@TrishaUK @DerivaUK @The_Savant @Unicorn_And_Sparkles @letsdothis3