A police sergeant who sent sexually explicit requests to 12-year-old girls while posing as a teenager on social media has been handed a suspended prison sentence.
James Chatfield, a London-based British Transport Police officer, used Snapchat and teen social media site Chat Avenue to send out messages, attempting to coax girls into sending him revealing selfies and suggesting sexual activity.
The sergeant, 36, believed he was messaging a 12-year-old girl when he asked her bra size and requested she “take your top off” for pictures, but he was actually in contact with an undercover police officer.
At Inner London crown court on Wednesday, Chatfield was handed a six month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
“It is profoundly disturbing to know that a serving officer could ever consider exploiting a child for their own sexual gain”, said Deputy Chief Constable Alistair Sutherland, from British Transport Police.
“We are all truly shocked and appalled by the actions of James Chatfield. He does not represent our values and his fast-track disciplinary proceedings will be taking place as soon as practicably possible in the New Year.”
Chatfield posed as a 17-year-old boy in the chats, creating a fake profile for himself and telling another 12-year-old girl – again an undercover officer – that she had a “cute bum” and asking to visit her.
The officer asked her to wear revealing clothes, including a “see-through vest and mini skirt”, an earlier hearing at Westminster magistrates court was told.
Chatfield targeted girls on teenage-focused social media and the “general flavour (of the chats) turned sexual quite quickly”.
Letters in words such as “naughty” and “boobs” had been seperated out by Chatfield to dodge automatic filters on the social media platforms.
The officer sent the messages from Waltham Forest, and he was caught thanks to an undercover operation by South Wales Police.
The first incident happened on September 23, when Chatfield sent a string of messages on Snapchat asking “can I ask what your bra size is?” and adding: “Do you have little boobs?”
He then said: “Would you like to show me?”, the court heard.
In the second incident three days later, Chatfield messaged on Chat Avenue referring to a “cute bum” and asking: “Can I come and feel it?”
He then turned the conversation to clothing, suggesting she wear “something small and revealing” and adding: “How about a see-through vest and mini skirt?”
The officer had used his mobile phone to verify his Snapchat account and was traced through his ip address. The undercover officer was from South Wales Police, and Chatfield was arrested after a BTP professional standards investigation.
Chatfield, now living in Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, pleaded guilty to two charges of attempted sexual communication with a child.
He will be the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the next seven years.
