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Manchester police officer sacked after pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of children

"He will stand perpetually unforgiven by officers and staff whose acts of decency will be tainted."

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 15th February 2023

A former Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer has been sacked after pleading guilty to making and possessing indecent images of children.

Thomas Woods was a serving police officer in GMP’s Salford district when he was arrested in December 2021 after the force received reports and information about potential indecent images, and attended his home address and seized two phones and a laptop.

Following extensive forensic examination, GMP says it recovered over 1,000 indecent images – many of which showed sexual acts involving children – over a 10-year period.

Woods initially made no comment in interview, but went on to plead guilty to the offences at court, and was later sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on 28 July 2022 for being in possession of indecent images of children, making indecent images, possessing prohibited Images of children, and possession of extreme pornographic images.

He was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for 24 months, as well as being given a rehabilitation activity requirement, an unpaid work requirement, and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.

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Woods was also told he must sign the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years, and was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.

Now, GMP has confirmed he has been formally sacked from the police force.

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Manchester police officer sacked after pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of children / Credit: David Dixon (via Geograph)

GMP said in a statement issued this week that Woods has been dismissed without notice by Chief Constable Stephen Watson at a misconduct hearing held at the Force Headquarters yesterday (14 February 2023).

Woods did not attend the hearing, but will also be placed on the College of Policing Barred List.

“It is a very powerful principle that officers should preserve public confidence and the seriousness of the misconduct found in terms of professional behaviour means he has been dismissed without notice,” CC Watson said of the decision to sack the former officer.

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“Woods has committed very serious criminal offences. His acts were deliberate, unforced and unlawful, and also morally reprehensible. He brings the profession into disrepute and damages the confidence the public has in police officers.

“We have to maintain public confidence and this will, of course, diminish that due the level of seriousness.

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“Woods’ conduct could not be further removed from what a police officer should be.

“He is a sexual offender and completely forfeited the trust of the public. He will stand perpetually unforgiven by officers and staff whose acts of decency will be tainted.”

Featured Image – Flickr

News

Manchester locals appealing for more information over a month after from finding family member’s body

Danny Jones Danny Jones GMP appeal after body of Chorlton man found dead in bedroom

A Greater Manchester family are still calling for more information now over a month on from the discovery of a man’s body at his Chorlton home.

William Riddell, 49, was found dead in the bedroom of a property on Astbury Avenue at approximately 11:35pm on Sunday, 10 November after being found by his stepdaughter, Sarah Hayden.

Details surrounding his passing are still scarce but a 47-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder but has since been released on bail “pending further enquiries”, leaving Sarah and the rest of her family still none the wiser as to the exact nature of his death.

Preparing to spend their first Christmas without him, they have issued a desperate appeal for more information, urging anyone who might have information to come forward.

Riddell, more commonly known as Billy by those close to him, was described as a “good, caring man with a big heart” and a popular figure in the local area.

Speaking via Greater Manchester Police, Sarah, said: “I want to be Billy’s voice and get answers for him. Billy was a nice and lovely man and all the community knew who he was. He was well-liked and we gave him a good send-off at his funeral.

“I would just ask anyone who knew him or has any information to come forward and tell police. Even if you think it’s a little or small thing – please come forward. We just want to get to the bottom of what has happened.”

Detective Inspector Alex Wilkinson, who serves on GMP‘s Major Incident Team, added in an official statement: “The family of Billy deserve answers following his death and we are working hard to ensure they get exactly that.

“We have closely supported Sarah and the wider family over the last month, and we will continue to provide assistance wherever we can as they face their first Christmas without him.

“While a suspect has been bailed, we are still working flat-out to understand more about Billy’s life, the people he was close to, and events leading up to his death just over a month ago.”

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With that in mind, both GMP and Riddell’s family are asking anyone who might know anything or have information regarding people associated with Billy to come forward, reiterating that “even if you consider something to be small – your help could greatly benefit our investigation.”

You can contact police via 101 or by using the live chat function HERE, quoting log 3227 of 10/11/24.

Alternatively, you can contact the UK’s independent charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Greater Manchester Police

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Government aims to ‘turn the tide’ on homelessness with £1 billion funding boost

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Nearly £1 billion of funding is being pumped into Council budgets to help “break the cycle of spiralling homelessness” in 2025.

As part of the Government‘s wider ‘Plan For Change’, and in a bid to help tackle, reduce, and prevent homelessness next year, it’s been announced that more resources will be be made available for workers on the frontline who provide essential services to get rough sleepers off the street and into secure housing.

This significant investment means Councils will now be “better equipped” to step in early and stop households from becoming homeless in the first place.

According to the Government’s plans, these funded measures will include mediation with landlords or families to prevent evictions, helping homeless people find new homes, and providing deposits to access private renting. 

The funding will also be used to address the growing use of B&Bs and nightly-let accommodation, and the streamlining of funding structures to make it easier for Councils to spend their cash.  

Areas across the UK can also choose to channel resources into services such as Housing First.

Housing First has been massively successful in Greater Manchester, and has helped house hundreds of our region’s rough sleepers since it was first piloted, being described as “life-changing” along the way.

More than £633 million of the funding will be allocated for the Homelessness Prevention Grant – which is a £192 million increase from this year – while £185.6 million will go to the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, more than £37 million to the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, and £5 million will be for the Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots.

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This new £1 billion funding boost comes after it was announced back in September that Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be abolished in England next year as part of the landmark Renters’ Rights Bill.

It will also look to support the Government’s ambition to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation – with an extra £500 million ploughed into the Affordable Homes Programme to build tens of thousands of affordable homes across the country.  

Featured Image – Gary Knight (via Flickr)

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