Former officer jailed for indecent images offences

A former police officer convicted of making and distributing indecent images of children has been jailed for 13 months. 

Michael Elmer, 36, who was a police constable based in Bristol, was suspended after being arrested in May 2025 by officers with our Internet Child Abuse Team, following information received.  

He was later charged with five offences, which he admitted at Exeter Crown Court in February. They were:   

• Three counts of making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child 

• One count of distributing an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child 

• One count of sharing a photograph or film of a person in an intimate state for the purpose of sexual gratification 

Elmer (pictured below) resigned prior to a misconduct hearing being held earlier this month, at which he was found to have committed gross misconduct. He would have been dismissed if he hadn’t already resigned and was added to the national barred list preventing him from working in policing or other law enforcement agencies again. 

He appeared before Exeter Crown Court today (Monday 20 April) where he was sentenced to the custodial sentence, as well as a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). 

Judge David Evans said Elmer had committed “deliberate offending” and engaged online “in a way that shows you are sexually interested in children”. He said the offences were too serious to be dealt with by any other way than custody. 

Deputy Chief Constable Jon Reilly said: “Making and distributing indecent images of children are appalling offences. The sharing of these vile images online creates and supports an environment where those who have a sexual interest in children can operate. 

“Officers have a clear duty to protect members of the public, especially the most vulnerable, so to engage in this abhorrent criminality is extremely serious and he’ll now have to face the consequences of his actions. 

“We know cases like this will impact on trust and confidence in the police which will inevitably have an impact on the overwhelming majority of officers, staff and volunteers who care deeply about dutifully serving and protecting their communities.”