In 2021, Neil Bowdery, a then-37-year-old former police officer from Chatham, was handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence after admitting to possessing indecent images of children as young as one year old.
Neil Bowdery, formerly of Goldstone Walk, Chatham, appeared at Maidstone Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to possessing nine indecent images of children across Categories A, B, and C. The court heard that police uncovered Bowdery’s details after seizing a phone belonging to another suspect. Analysis revealed messages where Bowdery asked for pictures and sent lewd comments regarding a girl. Police raided Bowdery’s home in September 2020 and seized his iPhone containing the illegal images. When interviewed, Bowdery claimed he had received “shed loads” of images while attempting to become a paedophile hunter, but later admitted he failed to report the sender due to personal feelings towards him.
Recorder James Dawson sentenced Bowdery to 15 months in prison, suspended for 12 months, alongside 100 hours of unpaid work and a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
Following his convictions for child sexual abuse material, Bowdery was ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
He also remains subject to statutory public protection notification requirements and long-term risk management by law enforcement.
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