In 2018, the Offender Database recorded that Martin Harris, then 37, of Saltdean, East Sussex, was sentenced to prison for a “gross breach of trust” while serving as a police officer. On 16 March 2018, Harris appeared at Hove Crown Court, East Sussex, where he was handed a two-year custodial sentence for misconduct in public office and the possession and making of indecent images of children.
The investigation established that Harris, a police constable with Sussex Police since 2002, intentionally sought roles that gave him access to vulnerable complainants. While working in the safeguarding investigation unit in Brighton, East Sussex, he accessed the Facebook account of a rape victim and sent himself images of her, including one in a school uniform aged 13. He was also found to have paid for sex while on duty, met people for sexual encounters using a work car, and possessed naked pictures of children as young as six.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Harris had an “entrenched sexual addiction” and had volunteered as a sexual offences liaison officer for a decade to facilitate his predatory behaviour. Hove Crown Court heard that his crimes were discovered after colleagues found graphic messages on a work phone he had left in a pool car. Judge Christine Henson noted that Harris had “intentionally put himself in this role to gain access to complainants,” betraying both his victims and his colleagues.
The judge noted that the custodial sentence reflected the seriousness of abusing a public position to target the very people he was tasked with protecting. For his actions in Brighton and Saltdean, East Sussex, Harris was dismissed from Sussex Police in January 2018 prior to his sentencing. The prosecution, led by evidence from an internal professional standards investigation, highlighted that the defendant’s career had been “distinguished” on the surface while he operated as a predator in secret.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Martin Harris was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Two years in prison (concurrently for misconduct and indecent image offences).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were activated for 10 years.
- Employment: Dismissed from Sussex Police and barred from future policing roles.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Hove Crown Court following guilty pleas.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Harris is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Sussex Police and the Probation Service. As of 2026, he has completed his custodial term and is serving the remainder of his 10-year registration period. Due to the predatory nature of his offences in Brighton and Saltdean, East Sussex, his management is subject to oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Harris must comply with notification requirements regarding his residence in Saltdean, East Sussex, or any other address until 2028. Authorities state that his history of utilising professional access to target victims remains a primary focus of his risk management. Any breach of his registration conditions or the terms of his licence since his release will result in immediate arrest and a return to court.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on reporting a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.