Paul Beckwith

Two tier justice? Paedo police escapes prison

A decorated police officer who secretly photographed a woman and four girls for his own sexual gratification walked away from court with a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Paul Beckwith, 53, was still serving with North Yorkshire Police when he committed the offences, betraying the standards he was employed to uphold.

Beckwith spent 25 years in policing, receiving five medals and commendations. He worked as a family liaison officer, a neighbourhood officer and the force’s first drone operator.

But investigators searching his electronic equipment uncovered 279 voyeuristic photographs and 22 indecent images of children, including 11 in the most serious category.

Two of the indecent images were photographs he had taken himself.

Victims described feeling violated and reduced to objects after discovering he had photographed them without their knowledge. One challenged how a police officer entrusted to protect people could exploit them for sexual gratification. Beckwith admitted voyeurism and child-image offences and was dismissed from the force.

Despite the offences, he avoided immediate custody.