A serving police officer has admitted blackmailing a man suspected of possessing indecent images of children by posing as a member of a vigilante paedophile hunting group.

PC Marie england/thompson/”>Thompson, 29, of Sheffield, pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court to blackmail and perverting the course of justice.

Thompson, who was the lead investigator in the man’s case, had arrested and interviewed him in October 2022. But in January 2023, she sent the suspect an anonymous email demanding £3,500 to prevent disclosure of the allegations against him, prosecutors said.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) revealed she signed the message as if it were from “Paedophile Hunters” and even provided a Bankbank account number and sort code.

‘Desperate’

Thompson also texted the man’s partner anonymously to warn that a reply was required by the end of the day. The suspect never paid, and days later she sent another email from the same account apologising, saying she had been “desperate.”

Six Weeksweeks later, she lied to the suspect again, falsely claiming the source of the emails could not be traced.

An internal investigation was launched after suspicions were raised. Another officer assigned to the indecent images case quickly discovered that the text messages had been sent from Thompson’s personal phone, while the emails were linked to her personal laptop.

South Yorkshire Police confirmed she was arrested in October 2023 and suspended from duty.

Debt and Gambling

The force said Thompson had been in “significant debt through gambling” at the time of her offending.

Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, described her conduct as “disgraceful” and “reprehensible.”

“Her actions amounted to a serious abuse of the trust which we rightly have in anyone in public office to perform their duties. We will always work hard to prosecute corruption of this nature,” he said.

Detective Superintendent James Axe of South Yorkshire Police said her former colleagues were “horrified” by her behaviour.

“Thompson’s actions were wholly inexcusable. Her deceitful offending is shameful and her former colleagues are as horrified by these crimes as members of the public will be.”

Court Date

Thompson remains suspended from the force and has been bailed ahead of sentencing on 30 October.