Richard Chilvers

A former Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer has been sentenced to five months in prison for possessing almost 1,000 indecent images of children being abused. Richard Chilvers, aged 34, appeared at Downpatrick Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to 22 charges related to the possession, making, and distribution of child sexual abuse material.

The court heard that 985 indecent images, predominantly videos, were discovered on an external hard drive belonging to Chilvers. The images depicted severe abuse of children, highlighting the gravity of the offences. Chilvers, whose address was listed as c/o Tennent Street police station in Belfast, had already resigned from the PSNI prior to the sentencing.

During the hearing, a prosecution barrister outlined the extent of the material found, emphasising the large volume and disturbing nature of the content. In mitigation, Chilvers's defence lawyer noted that the offender 'hung his head in shame' upon reflection of his crimes. The court was also informed of Chilvers's traumatic background: his parents perished in the Kegworth air disaster in 1989 when he was just ten years old, and he suffered sexual abuse himself as a teenager.

The judge at Downpatrick Crown Court acknowledged these mitigating circumstances but determined that a suspended sentence was not suitable given the seriousness of the offences. He imposed a custodial sentence of five months, with an additional year to be served on licence upon release. This case, reported by the BBC, underscores the PSNI's commitment to rooting out internal misconduct, particularly in matters involving child protection.