Sussex Police officer blackmailed after online sex act sacked

PC Alex Pead was at home on a training day and logged on to messaging app Discord where he engaged in the sexual act on a video call with a woman.

The Sussex Police constable was blackmailed by the stranger, who did not know he was in the police, and paid them £1,100.

The 27-year-old reported the blackmail as a crime online and spoke to his sergeant the next morning, but he admitted to being dishonest in both his reports.

Pead, from Hastings, was sacked after a police tribunal found his actions amounted to gross misconduct yesterday.

Sussex Police HQ in Church Lane, Lewes (Image: Andrew Gardner/The Argus)

Chairman of the panel Akbar Khan said: “The defence submitted that the officer was a victim of a crime and was therefore vulnerable, he was also anxious, had not slept and was visibly upset when he met with sergeant Beek.

"His judgement was also clouded when he made the reports. The defence submitted that his dishonesty constituted only a brief episode.

“The panel accepts all of these elements, however there is two serious aspects with his conduct. He lied twice.

"Notwithstanding that he was anxious and had not slept, he was able to think through how he would concoct a story of his conduct.

"His dishonesty was not spontaneous.

“A further aspect was that he was engaging in online sexual activity and could have been called to assist with police matters.”

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Pead had his head in his hand as the panel's conclusion was read out.

The incident occurred after Pead had completed nine hours of his protected learning day for the force on July 18 last year.

He worked from 8am until around 5pm and the sex act occurred at the end of the shift.

The officer's shift was from 3pm until midnight meaning he was technically on shift, but the hearing heard that Sussex Police allowed officers to complete protected learning days early so long as they did nine hours.

However, Pead could still be called out for an emergency at any time between 5pm and midnight because he was technically still working.

Pead, who landed the job just months before, was blackmailed by the account named Spirit of Gemini and paid £1,100 to the stranger.

He was described in the panel hearing as a "keen and committed officer who has always acted in a professional manner to members of the public".

Ailsa Williamson, counsel for PC Pead, said: “In his mind he felt he had completed the work and regarded himself as off duty. He then engaged in the masturbation.

“At the time the lies occurred the officer himself was a victim of a criminal offence and in circumstances that were deeply embarrassing to him.

“It happened about 12 hours before he made the report. Twelve hours after he had been the victim of blackmail, was panicking, was being threatened by one or more persons and had not slept.

Sussex Police HQ (Image: Andrew Gardner/The Argus)

“He is someone who as a member of the public is regarded as being vulnerable. Officers must always be aware that members of the public who are victims of crime are going through a difficult time and are vulnerable.

“That is something that does impact on the assessment of culpability and seriousness.”

Pead reported the incident online at 6am on July 19 before speaking to his sergeant at 8am on his day off.

He admitted he was dishonest by saying his phone was hacked in his online report of the crime that morning.

He also said to boss sergeant Beek the next morning at a meeting that the video was intended for his partner, which was not true.

In the misconduct hearing at Sussex Police's Lewes headquarters, Pead told the panel that his judgement was clouded when he submitted the report and first spoke to his sergeant.

He added that he had “no idea how to process this range of emotions”.

His counsel Ms Williamson said sergeant Beek’s account of the incident told how he went out for a phone call and was then told the truth by Pead when he returned.

She said that it was “not a lie that was maintained for a significant period of time”.

Ms Williamson added: “The harm here is the reputational harm to Sussex Police that one of their young officers has lied in a report and to a sergeant. In this case there is no harm to individuals and there is no harm to the community, the harm is simply to public confidence in the police service.

“The public knowing the full circumstances of the full conduct would have sympathy with the position he found himself in.”

Speaking of the incident, Pead said he wanted to “deeply apologise for this costly mistake” and said the incident had “haunted” him.

He said: “I have had a lack of sleep and it has always been playing on my mind on how costly this mistake has been.

“I feel I have more to offer to this organisation. I want to become a useful individual for this organisation. I joined this organisation not only to help the public but to work as a team and help my colleagues progress.

“If you were to give me a second chance I can assure you this will not happen again.

“This job is what I want to do for a long time. I am now deeply embarrassed in myself.

“I am not a bad person, I just made a really stupid mistake. If you gave me a second chance, I would work hard to gain the public’s trust again.”

But the misconduct panel found his actions amounted to gross misconduct and he was dismissed from the police force.