Former Inspector Thomas Kettleborough pleads guilty to child sex crimes. He awaits sentencing after being caught in sting.
He was suspected of arranging child sex crimes and was on bail since then. Police say he drove to meet a “child,” but he met police instead in a sting to catch predators.
The police did another investigation afterward, which showed bad online contact with a child in May 2023. He also had bad pictures dating from 2019 to 2023.
Kettleborough was in court on February 7 and pleaded guilty to many offenses under child protection laws. He will be sentenced on March 13.
He admitted to arranging a child sex crime and attempting online sex with a child. He tried to get a child to do sexual acts and engaged in sex talk with a child. He also had indecent child photos and made indecent child photos.
Detective Inspector Wells spoke about the case, saying Kettleborough used the internet to talk to someone he believed was a child. He went to meet them, and police arrested him there.
They checked his phone and computer later, uncovering more offenses. He talked sexually with a child earlier in May and had indecent pictures from 2019 to 2023.
Wells said offenders exploit children online and often try to meet them for abuse, which is terrible for young people. He also stated that an officer abused his position of trust, which increased his risk and offenses.
Assistant Chief Constable Hall made a statement, saying his crimes were very serious. She said he was suspended right away, and police worked to keep people safe.
They are concluding a misconduct investigation; the criminal case needed to finish first. Now, they can ensure he never works in law enforcement again.
Hall said most officers are dedicated to public service. His colleagues were very upset by his actions, and they are offering them support if needed.