'His crimes were abhorrent - he has to go'

A paedophile former police officer would have been sacked after his conviction for possessing hundreds of indecent images of children had he not already resigned, GMP has said.

Greater Manchester Police has confirmed Mark Rosebury's name is now being added to the Royal College of Policing's Barred List, preventing him from working in policing ever again. It's been revealed 525 images were found in total.

Police chiefs said described his crimes as 'abhorrent' as they revealed the outcome of a recently-held misconduct hearing where gross misconduct was found to be proved.

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Rosebury, a former GMP police constable, was found with the vile images after devices were seized from his home in Lancashire and searched.

It followed an investigation into possession and distribution of indecent images of children by Lancashire Police's online child abuse investigation team. Rosebury, of Earnshaw Road, Bacup, was arrested at his home in May last year.

He appeared at Preston Crown Court in September, having earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing extreme images and one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child, and was jailed for 18 months.

He had 257 Category A images - the most severe form of images - together with 110 Category B images and 158 Category C images, the now-published findings of the hearing reveal.

Chief Resources Officer, Lee Rawlinson, said in his judgement he was 'satisfied that the evidence is incontrovertible'. He said had Rosebury, who was 38 when he was jailed, not have already resigned, he would have been dismissed.

"Mr Rosebury's conviction, inevitably brings the profession of policing into disrepute and clearly has the potential to damage the trust that the public have a right to expect of their police service," said Mr Rawlinson.

"I believe the public would view these offences as abhorrent and the victims confidence in the police would be significantly undermined. The offence committed by Mr Rosebury and his behaviour was contrary to the most clearly expressed instruction as to the standards required of a well conducted officer.

"In respect of the harm, the harm to the reputation and standing of the service is self-evidently clearly established."

"Mr Rosebury's offending behaviour was simply unacceptable. His conduct has carried very grave consequences for him in his life and has led to the termination of his career. Police officers must ensure that their professional behaviour is always of an impeccable character and this case is clearly far from that."