Not So Special: Ex-Volunteer Cop Sentenced For "Obscene" Videos

A sacked police civilian employee and former Special Constable sent “disgusting and obscene” videos to his Sergeant, a court heard.

Vincent Alan Powder, 57, was caught when an internal Metropolitan Police probe into the Sergeant revealed the images on the officer’s mobile phone.

He fought the charges, but was convicted by a Croydon Crown Court jury on seven counts of possessing extreme pornographic images on or before October 30, 2018.

Powder, who lives with his partner and daughter in Coles Green, Loughton, Essex received a twelve-month community order, which includes 200 hours community service work and was ordered to pay £2,500 costs.

The images Powder sent portrayed sexual acts with animals, including a horse, fish, frog and octopus, plus videos involving women restrained and in one clip deliberately stung with nettles, plus injuries inflicted to intimate parts of the body.

Prosecutor Claire Longevad told the court: “He had an interest in bestiality and in humans being inflicted with pain.

“He was a Special Constable at the time and was sending these to another serving police Sergeant.”

Powder was also a £24,000-a year civilian Metropolitan Police employee and was fired after allegedly causing criminal damage to a photocopier, which he still denies.

“He had an unblemished career in the police force,” said Chandra Sekar, defending. “He is regarded as a helpful community-minded person.”

Powder attempted to extend an expired Contempt of Court Order beyond its term to prevent reporting of his sentencing, but this was rejected by Judge Elizabeth Lowe.

“The acts depicted are real and are disgusting and obscene,” the judge told the first-time offender. “There was either actual physical harm or the risk of physical harm to people.

“Demand for these videos is fuelled by people who watch them and send them on.

“You forwarded this material onto people you believed were interested in such material and you were arrested after a police officer was investigated and your images were found on his phone.”

Around the time of his arrest Powder made deletions to his mobile phone in an attempt to thwart the investigation.

“You are fortunate that you were not charged with perverting the course of justice and if convicted I would have had to send you to prison.”

Powder has lodged an appeal against his conviction.