Detective kept child abuse case evidence at home

A former detective has been banned from policing after mobile phones linked to child abuse investigations were found in his house.

Det Con James Cox, formerly of West Midlands Police, kept a large amount of evidence at home, including 11 phones, USB devices, briefing packs and his airwaves police radio.

It came to light in January last year, when his supervisor asked about the whereabouts of a phone containing evidence in a child abuse case.

Cox, who resigned on 16 September, was found to have committed gross misconduct following a probe by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) at a hearing on Monday.

The disciplinary panel was told the former detective was already suspended due to an IOPC investigation into other misconduct allegations, which remains ongoing.

The raid at his address uncovered intelligence reports, details of suspects, emailed print-outs containing pictures, details of suspects and discs with data from cases.

Many of the items had not been recorded or booked into police property stores, some were not appropriately packaged, and were not stored securely.

More evidence was found in his lockers at Wolverhampton Police Station.

The disciplinary panel found Cox had breached rules on police professional standards of honesty and integrity; duties and responsibilities; and confidentiality.

"A particularly aggravating feature of this case is the gravity of the matters the evidence related to, the potential for those investigations to have been compromised, and the risk posed by it being kept at ex-DC Cox's home in such an unsecure manner, " said IOPC director of engagement Derrick Campbell.

He added: "We also found that there was an element of dishonesty when he told a supervisor that one of the mobiles relating to a child abuse case was at the police station when it was in fact at his property.

"Clearly, such behaviour undermines public trust and confidence and has no place in policing."

An accelerated misconduct hearing concluded that Cox would have been dismissed if he had not already resigned.

He will also be added to the barred list preventing him from future employment with the police.

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