Perverted Derbyshire police officer filmed five children as they undressed at a Chesterfield swimming pool and exposed himself at Police HQ

A former Derbyshire online safety Police officer who filmed five children as they undressed at a Chesterfield swimming pool exposed himself at Derbyshire Constabulary and had indecent images of youngsters as young and two and three years old “visibly distressed and in pain”, a court heard.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

James Land, 43, recorded a four-minute video of youngsters in the communal changing areas in “various stages of undress” at a Chesterfield pool in September 2015.

The court heard one of his young victims was aged just three years old at the time and the children’s parents now feared the indecent images were now circulating on the internet for other paedophiles to view.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

One of the parents said in a statement read out to the court he and his wife’s distress that videos showing the “private moment” may be accessed online would “never” leave them.

Derby Crown CourtDerby Crown Court
Derby Crown Court

Others said they had lost all trust in using sports coaching facilities and all faith in those entrusted to protect their children.

Derby Crown Court heard Land worked in online safety for the police from 2017 in a preventative function with suspected underage computer offenders.

He also gave training for adults giving talks to children in online safety.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sarah Slater, prosecuting, described how the PCSO was arrested a Derbyshire Constabulary’s Ripley headquarters as he arrived at work on May 20 last year.

Read More
Chesterfield dealer caught at McDonalds sent “bulk messages” to customers

A search of his Cromford home uncovered nine devices found to contain over 1,300 indecent images and videos of children – 369 category of them the most serious category A.

Ms Slater said police described children as young and two and three years old “visibly distressed and in pain”.

It is understood Land was downloading the material from 2018 onwards – although Ms Slater said some of the downloads went as far back as 2002.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The court heard another image found on Land’s devices showed him exposing his penis while working at Derbyshire Constabulary HQ.

Ms Slater described how another adult female victim was unaware Land had been secretly filming her until police visited her in the summer of 2021.

She was told they had uncovered seven indecent videos of her from his mobile phone.

Darren Whitehead, defending Land, said his client had offered an “unreserved apology” for what he had done and the impact on his victims.

He will be sentenced by a judge later today.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Land, now of Abergele, Wales, admitted downloading indecent photographs of children, possessing extreme pornographic images, possessing prohibited images of children and voyeurism.

A message from Phil Bramley, Derbyshire Times Editor: Support your Derbyshire Times by becoming a digital subscriber. You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience. Click here to subscribe