Met officer pleads guilty to distributing indecent images of children

A Metropolitan Police officer is starting a prison sentence after admitting downloading and distributing indecent images of children.

PC Adam Merriman admitted a string of charges when he appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of making an indecent image of a child and three counts of distributing indecent images of a child.

The discovery of the indecent images was made on December 28 last year and Merriman also admitted resisting arrest when he was arrested on Thursday.

The officer, attached to a squad covering Barnet, Brent and Harrow, has been remanded in custody pending a court hearing at Southwark Magistrates’ Court on a date to be confirmed.

Prosecutor Tom Murphy told the hearing that Merriman had “a tendency to contact and communicate with women who have had children” and objected to the officer being granted bail before he was sentenced.

District Judge Daniel Sternberg remanded Merriman in custody and said: “I have reasonable grounds to believe that you will not surrender if granted bail, based on the nature and seriousness of the offences, the likely sentence and risk of further offences. .”

Merriman, wearing gray prison clothes, nodded as he was led from the dock by guards.

Merriman was tried in 2017 on charges of harassment and assault on a woman – charges he was cleared of.

The court was told he left a sex toy on the bonnet of the woman’s car but denied the incident was designed to deliberately cause stress.

After Merriman was cleared by a judge, he was investigated for misconduct but kept his job.

The PC, who lives in Bletchley, has now resigned from the Met as a result of the new allegations and is now likely to face an expedited misconduct hearing.

Chief Superintendent Sara Leach, who is responsible for policing in the area, said: “I recognize and share the shock and concern this news will cause in our local community and across London. I will be talking to our partners and community forums to hear them. views in the coming days.

“Investigating officers worked quickly to charge PC Merriman following his arrest with these incredibly serious offences. Proceedings for the offense will now take place as soon as possible.”