I Thought We'd Abolished Shame, Judge..?

A former police chief who retired while under investigation for possessing indecent images of children was spared jail on Monday after a judge said the 'shame' of admitting his crimes was the greatest punishment he could receive.

Pretty sure the guidelines allowed for something far, far more appropriate... 

On Monday, the 55-year-old stood grim-faced in the dock at Manchester Crown Court as his barrister described his 'humiliation' at how his 30-year policing career had been ended by what his bosses branded the 'abhorrent' crimes.

But a judge accepted there was no evidence that Sansbury had been deliberately looking for images of children after hearing he had been searching for 'twinks' – pornographic pictures of adolescent-looking men.

Oh, well, that's OK then. He'd probably have got a promotion for that if he'd told his management... 

Imposing a community order with 80 hours of unpaid work, Judge Nicholas Dean KC, the Honorary Recorder of Manchester, told Sansbury he had 'served, no doubt with some distinction, as a senior police officer'.

The judge said the reasons why Sansbury saved the images was 'not now clear', but accepted he was not someone who 'consistently' sought illicit photos.

'The loss of your good character and the shame of your departure from the police force in these circumstances is plainly a significant punishment,' he added.

I don't concur.