A FORMER Surrey Police Community Support Officer has been sentenced to six years in prison, after pleading guilty to indecent image offences involving children.

William Redwood, 24, pleaded guilty to 33 offences of making, taking and distribution of indecent images of children and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity at an earlier hearing in July 2022.

The victims, who are both male and female, were aged between 12 and 17 years old at the time the offences were committed.

Redwood was aged between 17 and 22 years old during the span of these offences being committed.

“It is extremely regrettable that Redwood had the privilege of serving as a PCSO with Surrey Police,” said Deputy Chief Constable Nev Kemp.

“As soon as these concerns came to light, he was suspended from duty and a thorough and determined investigation was carried out.”

Redwood joined Surrey Police as a PCSO based in Runnymede in October 2019.

In August 2020, his supervisor raised concerns to the Force’s Anti-Corruption Unit that Redwood had formed an inappropriate and undisclosed association and had accessed confidential police information without a legitimate policing purpose.

Following concerns raised during the investigation, his mobile phone was seized and found to contain indecent images of children. The investigation was then passed to Surrey Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team.

Redwood resigned from Surrey Police prior to an internal misconduct hearing taking place in December 2020 where it was found that he would have been dismissed from the Force had he not resigned. He was placed on the barred list.

“This case has had a devastating impact on the victims involved and I commend them for their bravery in providing us with statements which led to him pleading guilty at an earlier hearing. I hope all those affected by his abhorrent criminal actions can take some comfort in the fact that he is now behind bars and that it gives them some closure,” said the Deputy Chief Constable.

“Surrey Police will always proactively seek to identify and remove individuals who fail to abide by the standards of professional behaviour or meet the rigorous expectations of the public.

“The severity of the custodial sentence given to him today is welcome and reflects the gravity of his offending and marks the conclusion of a traumatic and complex investigation.”