A former Hampshire Constabulary Paedophile PCSO, Daniel Mark Carlson, has been handed a suspended prison sentence following ‘abhorrent’ behaviour involving sending sexual messages to a child.
Daniel Mark Carlson, 29, exchanged messages with a profile on social media apps, including Snapchat, he believed belonged to a 13-year-old girl.
The messages were sent between July 10 and August 8, of 2024.
A court heard how Daniel Mark Carlson was told the profile belonged to a young child at the start of the conversations, but he continued to send messages. Among these messages were repeated offers to pay for sexually explicit images of her.
Bournemouth Crown Court was told the person behind the account was actually a police officer, and not a child as Daniel Mark Carlson had believed.
Having been arrested and charged, he pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and two counts of attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity on his first appearance at court.
Daniel Mark Carlson was previously a PCSO based in Winchester and he has since been dismissed from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.
On Friday, November 1, he was handed an eight month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation days, and 200 hours of unpaid work, and was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
In an odd statement, bearing in mind Daniel Mark Carlson got no prison time at all, Deputy Chief Constable Sam de Reya said: “The abhorrent behaviour displayed by Daniel Mark Carlson has absolutely no place in society, let alone in policing.
“As police officers and staff, we are entrusted with protecting the most vulnerable in our communities, particularly children, a duty at the core of public service and our child-centred policing approach.
“The messages Daniel Mark Carlson sent, believing he was engaging with a child, are reprehensible and totally at odds with what the public rightly expect from those working in the police service.
“We are out there, proactively seeking out offending against children, particularly involving sexual criminality, and this should send a clear message that there will be no tolerance of this from anyone.
“Daniel Mark Carlson’s offending was identified, investigated, and acted upon quickly, leading to the conviction at court and swift dismissal of a serving member of staff.
“His actions do not reflect the hard work and professionalism of the officers, staff and volunteers, who deliver to the highest standards every day across Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.
These are the dedicated people who truly represent the force, and protect and serve the most vulnerable in society.”
No image as usual so you can’t see the Gloucester Constabulary Paedophile, Daniel Mark Carlson, coming.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.