Ex-West Midlands Police sergeant who dodged prison admits child grooming

A disgraced former police officer based in the West Midlands has been sent to jail after breaking a series of court[1] rules. Lee Shaw, aged 50, once served on the West Midlands Police[2] force as a sergeant – but was sacked after his own law breaking and brought before the courts. Now he’s been jailed for 20 months after he ignored court rules which were imposed on him after he admitted to child grooming charges.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that Shaw dodged jail for the child-sex offences – but he was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register and handed a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), reports StokeonTrentLive.[3][4][5] However, over a period of 16 months, he later downloaded and deleted Snapchat, deleted Grindr, deleted 1,143 hits from his search history, deleted WhatsApp messages and used an alias name and username. Following his court appearance, Shaw had told officers that he rarely went on the internet and no longer used chatrooms.

But Shaw’s mobile phone was checked. It was found that Shaw had downloaded apps and used them to speak with strangers about his sexual fantasies. Prosecutor[8] Catherine Ravenscroft said: “Search terms found included ‘Schoolgirls in tights’.

Snapchat had been downloaded. He used the username SteveS21881, which was not registered, and used the name Steve Smith.” Shaw, of Cornes Street, Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty to four charges of breaching the SHPO and two charges of failing to comply with the notification requirements of the Sex Offenders’ Register.

The court heard Shaw has now engaged with a sex addict group. It was said Shaw’s wife would struggle to keep her job and their house if her husband was sent to prison. Stuart Muldoon, mitigating, said: “He now abstains from any pornography.” He added: “His wife has taken great pains to inform him that he is in the last chance saloon.

She will remain supportive on this occasion.” Shaw is now on the Sex Offenders’ Register for the next 10 years. Judge Graeme Smith told him: “You are assessed as a high risk of re-offending and a high risk of causing harm to children.

In my judgement, the only sentence I can impose is one of immediate custody.”

References

1. ^ court (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
2. ^ West Midlands Police (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
3. ^ court (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
4. ^ Court (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
5. ^ reports StokeonTrentLive. (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
6. ^ ‘I began selling jewellery aged 10 – now I’m opening my own shop’ (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
7. ^ WIN GBP100 Aldi voucher to boost your festive shop this Christmas (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
8. ^ Prosecutor (www.birminghammail.co.uk)