'Abhorrent' actions from former PCSO who sent 'reprehensible' messages to child results in suspended sentence
A former PCSO has been handed a suspended prison sentence following ‘abhorrent’ behaviour involving sending sexual messages to a child.
The messages were sent between July 10 and August 8, of this year.
A court heard how Carlson was told the profile belonged to a child at the start of the conversations, but he continued to send messages. Among these messages were repeated offers to pay for sexually explicit images.
Bournemouth Crown Court was told the person behind the account was actually a police officer, and not a child as Carlson had believed.
Having been arrested and charged, he pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and two counts of attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity on his first appearance at court.
Carlson was previously a PCSO based in Winchester and he has since been dismissed from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.
On Friday, November 1, he was handed an eight month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation days, and 200 hours of unpaid work, and was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
Deputy Chief Constable Sam de Reya said: "The abhorrent behaviour displayed by Daniel Carlson has absolutely no place in society, let alone in policing.
"As police officers and staff, we are entrusted with protecting the most vulnerable in our communities, particularly children, a duty at the core of public service and our child-centred policing approach.
"The messages Carlson sent, believing he was engaging with a child, are reprehensible and totally at odds with what the public rightly expect from those working in the police service.
"We are out there, proactively seeking out offending against children, particularly involving sexual criminality, and this should send a clear message that there will be no tolerance of this from anyone.
"His actions do not reflect the hard work and professionalism of the officers, staff and volunteers, who deliver to the highest standards every day across Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.