A social worker is facing jail after a cache of images was found on his phone when he accidentally sent a video to a group WhatsApp.

Roy Reid, 58, posted the clip in a chat set up to organise leaving drinks for a co-worker at Croydon Children’s Services in September 2019.

Many of his colleagues left the Whatsapp group and he was reported to managers who informed police.

Reid, from Catford, south east London, was arrested the same day and told to hand over his phone for forensic examination.

Detectives found further indecent and extreme images on the device.

Reid pleaded guilty on Thursday at Croydon Crown Court to making indecent photographs of a child and possessing an extreme pornographic image.

The social worker previously pleaded guilty at Bromley Magistrates’ Court to two counts of distributing an indecent photograph of a child.

Police have not been able to identify the child, who is believed to have been a toddler when the 45-second clip was captured.

Prosecutor Kate Shilton said: ‘Roy Reid was a trusted employee within children’s services and his interest in indecent images of children was both shocking and abhorrent.

‘The prosecution case included statements from members of the WhatsApp group and a forensic analysis of Reid’s phone which brought up further graphic and illegal images of concern.

‘I would like to highlight the actions of many of those in the WhatsApp group who stood by their profession and reported Reid’s crimes.

‘The CPS will always seek to bring to justice those who fuel the sexual exploitation of children.’

Reid will be sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on September 23.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Source: Read Full Article