Retired Met officers jailed for sharing child images with inspector

Two retired Met Police officers are jailed for sharing ‘the most depraved’ child sex abuse images with serving chief inspector who was found dead before he was charged

Jack Addis and Jeremy Laxton, both 63, shared images between 2018 and 2021
Conspired with serving chief inspector Richard Watkinson, 49
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT

Jack Addis and Jeremy Laxton, both 63, admitted in May to conspiring to distribute or show indecent images of children between 1 January 2018 and 10 July 2021.

Richard Watkinson, 49, who was serving with the Met’s West Area Command Unit, was due to appear in court on January 12 this year – the day his body was discovered at his home in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire.

The pictures, which were found on a computer hard drive, included 2,516 of the worst category of child sexual abuse images.

Laxton further admitted three counts of making indecent images of children, possession of prohibited images, possession of extreme pornographic images, intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence in public office and possession of cannabis.

Two retired Metropolitan Police officers were jailed today for sharing some of the worst videos of child sexual abuse ever seen with a serving chief inspector who was found dead before he was charged. Jack Addis (left) and Jeremy Laxton, both 63, admitted in May to conspiring to distribute or show indecent images of children between 1 January 2018 and 10 July 2021

These offences took place on or before 1 September 2021 and the pair left the force more than a decade ago.

At Southwark Crown Court today Addis was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison, and Laxton to five years and nine months.

A forfeiture and destruction order was made in relation to the devices and equipment they used and both will be subject to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order to control and monitor their access to the internet.

Mr Justice Wall said: ‘Mr Laxton and Mr Addis, you were both formerly police officers and at a time served together.

‘Despite living in very different areas of the country, you would meet together with Mr Watkinson to swap images.

‘The images you traded in were of the most depraved, including in them images of babies and very young children in obvious distress.

‘It is sometimes said that people who choose to view images such as these disassociate with what they see with real children.

‘Although not working directly within child protection, you must have been fully aware of the damage done to real children of the filming of such disturbing images.

‘Laxton, you had a substantial collection of similar images of your own. You had more than 19,000 images, over 9,000 of which were classified as Category A.

‘They included images of the most disturbing kind.

‘I accept you are now both remorseful and ashamed of your behaviour. You are aware that you have caused deep shame and embarrassment to your families.

‘There are many aggravating features of your offending, this is an organised conspiracy.

‘Each time one of these images were shared with others, the risk of being shared again grew. You ultimately lost control as to who could view them.’

Speaking directly to Laxton of his encouraging Watkinson, Justice Wall said: ‘It is worse that you encouraged him to behave in this reprehensible way for your own sexual gratification.

‘You knew it was likely to reduce faith in the Metropolitan Police.’

Laxton, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, joined the Met Police in 1980, initially serving in Ealing borough. He retired in 2011.

Addis, from Perthshire, Scotland, joined the Met in 1978 in Harrow when he was 18 years old.

He became a firearms officer in the Specialised Firearms Unite for almost 15 years.

In 2010 Addis left the Met and joined the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, again as an armed officer.

Watkinson joined in 1995, also serving in Ealing.

Prosecutor James Dawes, KC, told the court: ‘Mr Laxton and Mr Addis are ex police Officers and both served with the Metropolitan Police.

‘The offence on count 1 (the conspiracy) relates to all three defendant’s use of a Toshiba hard drive which contained indecent images of children.

‘This hard drive was located by the investigators in this case at Mr Watkinson’s mother’s house.

‘The analysis of the contents of the hard drive shows the three men had met on more than eleven occasions to transfer electronic files which contained moving and still images which contained indecent images of children installed on the hard drive then used as a library from which all three of them could draw.’

Laxton (arriving at Southwark Crown Court today), from Grantham, Lincolnshire, joined the Met Police in 1980, initially serving in Ealing borough. He retired in 2011

In total 2,516 category A, 1,032 category B and 1,701 category C images were found on the hard drive.

‘The contents of which were subdivided into various files, for example ‘Richard’s latest’ and ‘Jerrie’s latest’.

‘In relation to the Category A images, there were moving images of babies and children under the age of five years who were visibly distressed.

‘They showed preparedness to abuse the trust of boys with whom they had friendships to satisfy themselves.

‘In relation to Mr Laxton of the over 5,000 images, 2,751 were found on his own devices.

‘There had been a meeting described in Mr Watkinson’s diary as a ‘Data Swap’ having a meal with Jack and Jerrie.

‘When Watkinson was asked about this in interview, he admitted it was with the intention of swapping indecent images of children.

‘On 5 December 2020 it was shown that Mr Addis travelled from Scotland, Dumfries, to where he was met on the train by Mr Watkinson and later Mr Addis transferred a folder named ‘December 2020’ from a USB he brought with him on a shared hard drive using Mr Watkinson’s laptop to do so.

‘On that day a photograph was taken by Addis of Watkinson and Laxton standing together which was found on a phone. Addis sent the image to his wife saying, “Jerrie says hi”.

‘The three men discussed the images they had shared together. Watkinson discussed a boy (…) the discussion was heavily sexualised with both men clearly getting sexual pleasure from looking at the boy.’

Laxton’s additional charges of possession of indecent, prohibited and extreme images came after police found devices hidden in a wall at his home in Corby Glen, Lincolnshire.

Mr Dawes said: ‘There was a specially constructed hiding place built into a wall cavity. Investigators knew where to search behind the walls because of messages on Laxton’s phone.’

Laxton wrote: ‘I have a new laptop and a new phone. I have buried all my old equipment in the walls, have you done the same?’

In total 6,086 Category A, 4,039 Category B, 3,597 Category C, seven prohibited images and 56 extreme images were found.

Dawes added: ‘One video was described by the officer tasked with assessing the categories as ‘one of the most disturbing Category A images in existence’.’

One offence was committed whilst Watkinson was on duty as a chief inspector.

Laxton asked Watkinson to share the image of a missing 14-year-old boy that he had gained through his work. They discussed the image ‘for their sexual gratification’.

Laxton’s additional charges of possession of indecent, prohibited and extreme images came after police found devices hidden in a wall at his home in Corby Glen, Lincolnshire. Above: Laxton arriving at Westminster Magistrates Court in February

Addis appeared at Southwark Crown Court via video-link from HMP Durham.

He has been serving an 18-month sentence for three counts of voyeurism and possession of indecent photographs of a child since October 2022.

Laxton, who remains on bail, previously admitted the similar image offences at Lincolnshire Magistrates Court in August 2021.

On that date Laxton admitted three counts of possession of indecent photographs of a child, one count of possession of prohibited images, one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image, and one count of possessing a controlled class B drug.

These additional offences relate to over 5000 additional images of children aged between three months and 13 years that Laxton had in his possession.

Mr Mustapha Hakme, mitigating for Addis, said: ‘Once he became aware of their sexual interest in children, he should have broken ties with them but then found himself getting involved and more and more involved.

‘These decisions have obviously come back to haunt him and cause him great shame and guilt.

Court artist sketch of Jack Addis (right) and Jeremy Laxton, appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in February

‘In aid he has shown remorse and shame, both of which are genuine.

‘Letters written by family and friends, they speak all of them of a man who was kind and generous, but one who has made a monumental mistake.

‘After some 39 years of marriage, Mr Addis and his wife divorced as a result of these proceedings.

‘His son has effectively turned his back on his father.’

In a letter written to court by Addis, he said: ‘I have been asked to write to you to show the impact that this investigation has had on myself but more importantly my wife and family.

‘I made a terrible mistake, one I will regret for the rest of my life. The guilt and shame I feel is overwhelming. I cannot begin to put into words my remorse.

‘I’m still trying to come to terms with the consequences of what I have done.

‘What I did was wrong, the psychological impact is too great to comprehend.

‘I apologise to everyone to whom my actions have impacted on.’

Ms Karen Walton, mitigating for Laxton, told the court: ‘Trust in the police is at an all-time low.

‘The idea that Mr Laxton was a serving police officer should have led him to having an insight to victims and protecting victims.

‘He understands he not only has to live with the shame of the personal conviction, but also the public saying he is part and parcel of this rightful assessment of the police.

‘These are crimes which are an abuse of trust and have an enormous effect on children.

‘The consequences of these offences are obviously horrific.

‘He will have to live with that shame, not only in this courtroom, but thereafter for a period of time.’

Laxton was arrested in September 2021 while Addis was arrested two months later as part of the multi-force investigation.

Police officers had responded to reports from an address in Saunderton, Princes Risborough, on the afternoon of 12 January after Watkinson was found dead.

He was Met Chief Inspector for neighbourhoods policing at the West Area Command Unit.

Commander Jon Savell, head of Professionalism in the Met, said: ‘The content that these men had been viewing has been described by seasoned specialist investigators as some of the most serious that they had ever seen.

‘We must never forget that in each video or picture is a real child victim who has suffered unimaginable abuse. The effects of child sexual abuse are often traumatic and life-long, and Laxton and Addis both sought sexual gratification from that suffering.

‘As a police service we strive to protect the most vulnerable members of society, especially children, and I know officers who served with them will feel utterly betrayed by their disgusting actions. We are sickened that they are former colleagues.’

The case follows a lengthy and complex investigation by Met Specialist Crime officers in liaison with Police Scotland and Lincolnshire Police.

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