Former Cumbria Police officer accused of selling porn online to face tribunal

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1. Article text.

   ……………………..

   **Former Cumbria Police officer accused of selling porn to face tribunal**

   *1st June*

   *By Dan Taylor*,
   *Chief Reporter*

   A FORMER Cumbria police officer who is accused of selling pornographic images and videos on social media is set to face a misconduct hearing.

   Jonathan Hodgson, a former police constable, could be barred from policing for life when he appears before a panel.

   Mr Hodgson is alleged to have published X-rated images on a Twitter account and connected an online payments platform to allow him to sell the images.

   Police bosses are said to have been alerted to his alleged behaviour by anonymous letters.

   A hearing was due to take place in April but was pushed back and is now set to take place on October 4.

   Setting out the allegations, a misconduct notice said: “On approximately 1 May 2022, former PC Hodgson opened a Twitter account with the name ***************.

   “On dates unknown between 1 May 2022 and 22 June 2022, former PC Hodgson published sexually explicit images and videos, including images of an erect penis and of sexual intercourse taking place.

   “Former PC Hodgson set up a link to that account with CashApp, a platform that enables the account holder to receive online payments; this was with the intention of receiving remuneration in exchange for access to the pornographic content of that Twitter account.

   “Former PC Hodgson was subsequently identified as the publisher of said images and videos, due in part to two anonymous letters received by the Professional Standards Department.

   “Former PC Hodgson failed to disclose that Twitter account and its proposed associated remuneration to Cumbria Constabulary as a business interest.”

   According to the misconduct notice, the former officer is alleged to have breached police standards of honesty and integrity and demonstrated discreditable conduct.

   The allegations he faces are said to be so serious that if they are proven Mr Hodgson should have been dismissed.

   As he is no longer a serving officer, this sanction would result in him being placed on the police barred list and banned from the profession for life.

   The hearing is due to take place at Cumbria Police’s headquarters in Penrith and is scheduled to last a day.

   Explaining misconduct hearings, Cumbria Police said: “We employ many people.

   “Taking that and the nature of our operation into consideration, alleged transgressions of accepted practice or unlawful activity, whether or not they’ve passed through the legal courts system, are bound to arise.

   “It’s our duty to investigate each case, which may result in a public misconduct hearing.”

2. If you aren’t breaking the law then employers should be minding their own business.. even the police force.

   Professional standards ? What is this the dark ages ?! We all be fucking and doing wild shit one way or another, can we not become weird prudes like Americans please.

3. Seems weirdly odd that the police can’t sell porn of themselves outside of work.

4. How is this a crime? As long as he’s not wearing his official uniform.

5. According to [Lancashire Constabulary](https://www.lancashire-pcc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Item-7-Business-Interests-report-Appendix-A.pdf), just over the border:

   >Police officers and staff are not prevented from holding a business interest or secondary occupation. However such interests must not conflict with the work of the police, undermine public confidence or adversely affect the reputation of a member of staff, the force, or the wider police service
   […]
   Applicants to the police service are required to declare any existing business interest that they may intend to continue should they be appointed. However they will not be eligible for appointment if they intend maintaining a business interest that is incompatible with being a member of the police service.

   There seem to be two issues at play here. The first, and arguably the more serious, is that Hodgson failed to disclose that he had a business interest. I can understand why selling explicit images on Twitter might seem too casual to constitute a ‘business’, but it clearly does for police purposes. Regardless of your stance on his choice of business, it seems obvious that police officers should be transparent about any outside interests they may have.

   The second is that selling explicit images on Twitter conflicts with the role of being a police officer. This is more subjective, but personally I would tend to agree that police officers shouldn’t be selling such images. It generally isn’t illegal for an adult to do so, but it is stigmatised to the point where it would bring the force into disrepute.