A serving Ministry of Defence firearms officer has admitted having child abuse images on electronic equipment found by police at his South Cumbria home.
Andrew Stevenson, 24, must now sign the sex offenders’ register following his conviction for three offences committed last year.
Police went to his address in Ulverston on August 17, 2021, to execute a search following the receipt of information concerning indecent images of youngsters. Stevenson was found to live alone at that property.
“During the search, officers seized an iPhone, iPad, a desktop computer along with removable storage devices,” prosecutor George Shelley told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court this afternoon (mon).
An indecent video of children was found on the iPhone.
“Examination thereafter recovered indecent images of children in category A, B and C,” said Mr Shelley.
The court heard 94 of the illegal photographs were classed in category A — the most serious. Thirty-seven others were classed in category B and 34 more in category C.
“Mr Stevenson is a serving, authorised firearms officer based in Barrow-in-Furness,” said Mr Shelley. Stevenson, said to be employed by the Ministry of Defence, provided a prepared statement when interviewed, followed by “no comment” answers.
Stevenson, now of West Park Crescent, Kilmaurs, admitted three charges of making indecent photographs of a child from the court dock during a short hearing. Previously he was a man of good character, the court was told.
His case was committed by the district judge, John Temperley, to Carlisle Crown Court, where he is due to be sentenced by a judge on September 19.
In the meantime, a probation service background report was requested, and Stevenson was granted bail on two conditions. They are: not to have unsupervised contact with any person aged under 18; and not to live in any address where there is someone aged under 18.
As a result of his conviction, Stevenson must now sign the sex offenders’ register as part of strict notification requirements. He must report to a local police station within three days and provide information which includes his name, date of birth and address.
A Ministry of Defence source confirmed that Stevenson is a serving member of the MoD police force, that he is currently suspended from duty and is likely to face a gross misconduct hearing in due course.
