Serving Met Police officer pleads guilty to sexual communication with child

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A serving Metropolitan Police officer has pleaded guilty to one count of sexual communication with a child.

PC Will Scott-Barrett, of Bromley, south-east London, admitted to sending sexual messages, including graphic images and videos, to a 15-year-old boy on social media.

The 33-year-old officer, attached to the Met’s Intelligence Command, was suspended in February last year, when the allegation was first made.

He was later charged in November 2021 following an investigation by the Met’s Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Command.

The Directorate of Professional Standards has also been informed and a misconduct hearing will take place in due course, the Met said.

An earlier hearing found PC Scott-Barrett had been communicating with the unnamed boy on Snapchat and Discord since April 2020.

He was off-duty at the time of his offending, which is not said to have been connected with his role in the force.

PC Scott-Barrett appeared at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty. Sentencing was adjourned until 28 February.

Judge Robin Johnson warned him that he faces a possible jail sentence of at least 12 months.

He said: "Whoever sentences you, you will appreciate the starting point appears to be 12 months imprisonment and you should brace yourself for a period of imprisonment if that is the conclusion of the sentencing judge.”

In a statement, detective chief superintendent Simon Rose, commander for the Met’s Intelligence Command, said: “This type of conduct has absolutely no place within our organisation and PC Scott-Barrett must now face the consequences of his actions.

“We expect exemplary standards from our people, both on or off duty – there is no distinction.

“We depend on the trust of the public and we know that this type of behaviour undermines their confidence in us. That is why we will always act when misconduct comes to light.”