Duncan Bouette

A former Metropolitan Police officer, PC Duncan Bouette, has been sentenced at Westminster Magistrates' Court for sending obscene messages related to the sexual abuse of children. The case, which unfolded rapidly within a month, highlights the force's commitment to addressing misconduct among its ranks.

On 18 November 2024, Bouette sent a series of messages outlining the sexual abuse of children via a secure online platform. Additionally, between 2 and 3 October 2024, he transmitted messages concerning extreme, violent sexual practices through a secure messaging application. These actions led to his arrest on 7 October 2024 by the Met’s Central Specialist Crime Unit, with charges filed the following day under two counts of the Obscene Publications Act.

Bouette, who was attached to the North East Command Unit, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 9 October 2024, where he pleaded guilty to both charges. The swift progression of the case culminated in his sentencing on 6 November 2024. He was dismissed from the Metropolitan Police on 4 November 2024 following an accelerated misconduct hearing prompted by his guilty plea.

• Sentence: 18-month suspended prison term
• 200 hours of unpaid community work
• Three-year criminal behaviour order prohibiting unsupervised contact with children and imposing restrictions on digital device usage

Superintendent Lynne Forster, who leads policing in North East London, commented: “PC Bouette’s behaviour was completely unacceptable and specialist officers moved swiftly following information received. PC Bouette’s guilty plea meant an accelerated misconduct hearing was organised and he was dismissed on Tuesday, 4 November. From his arrest to dismissal and sentencing has taken less than a month, showing our determination to tackle offending by our officers.”

As a result of his conviction, Bouette will be added to the barred list maintained by the College of Policing, permanently preventing him from serving as a police officer again. The Metropolitan Police's actions underscore their zero-tolerance policy towards such offences within the force.