Former Police Officer Admits Sharing Explicit Photos

A former police officer has acknowledged disseminating intimate photographs of a woman on social media platforms without her permission. Simon Sewell, previously a detective constable within the Kirklees area of West Yorkshire Police, is presently subject to a gross misconduct hearing concerning 12 infractions of police conduct standards committed between June 2020 and May 2023. During the hearing on Wednesday, it was disclosed that he distributed images of crime scenes, made derogatory remarks regarding the testimony of a woman alleging rape, and accessed police records without legitimate authorization. Mr. Sewell, who has since resigned from his position, has confessed to all charges but asserted that his actions were performed under duress. He was absent from the commencement of his hearing at West Yorkshire Police’s headquarters in Wakefield on Wednesday, where it was heard that he alleged the woman whose intimate photos he shared, who remains anonymous for legal reasons, had compelled him to perform checks on police databases. His solicitor, Peter Gilmour, stated that Mr. Sewell had only transmitted photographs of crime scenes and his place of employment because she had insisted on knowing his whereabouts. Mr. Sewell asserted that the woman was unidentifiable in the explicit photographs he uploaded, a claim she refuted. Suppressing tears, she informed the hearing that she was “haunted” by the prospect of never discovering which images of her were “out there”. When questioned about sharing a photograph of a man in custody with her and inquiring if she perceived a resemblance to him, Mr. Sewell informed investigators it was “stupid banter”. Additionally, he dispatched to her an image of a blood-stained cot from the site of an attempted murder “to prove he was busy and potentially working late”. An identical justification was provided for his sharing of a photograph of the alleged victim of a sexual offence in March 2023, alongside his assertion that she had fabricated allegations and altered her narrative. Simon Mallett, acting on behalf of West Yorkshire Police, characterized Mr. Sewell’s explanations as “implausible”. Ms. A testified at the hearing that she had “never asked for any information about his work to be shared in detail.” She refuted claims of attempting to control his conduct and further stated: “He’s saying these things to try and give justification over what he did.” A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police confirmed that Mr. Sewell has not been charged with any criminal offences. The panel is anticipated to render a decision on Friday regarding whether Mr. Sewell is culpable of gross misconduct, which could result in his prohibition from future policing roles. Further content from West Yorkshire can be accessed on BBC Sounds, the most recent episode of Look North is available, and there is an opportunity to submit stories for consideration. Copyright for this material is held by the BBC, 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites and provides information regarding its policy on external linking.