A Paedophile police officer from Kent, Thomas Blant, has received a sentence after confessing to accessing child abuse material online.
Thomas Blant, 38, was apprehended in January 2020 after NCA officers determined that a website containing child sexual abuse material had been viewed using TOR (The Onion Router) from his residence in Wye, Ashford.
After searching his residence, officers confiscated many digital devices, including his phone and laptop, which were subjected to forensic analysis.
TOR, the application that facilitates anonymous internet browsing and access to the dark web, was installed on the laptop, along with a computer cleaning application capable of erasing evidence of illicit activities.
Seventeen indecent images of children (IIOC), comprising categories A and C, were retrieved from Thomas Blant’s laptop, notwithstanding his efforts to erase them.
Additionally, four more obscene photographs of minors were retrieved from one of Thomas Blant’s former mobile devices.
Thomas Blant was granted bail and subsequently arrested in February 2020 after an examination of his equipment.
Thomas Blant was employed as a constable with Kent Police at the period of his misconduct. He was suspended from duty following his original arrest and has subsequently been terminated from the force.
On 22 July 2021, he entered a guilty plea to two charges of producing indecent images of children at Folkestone Magistrates Court.
Today [06/10/2021] at Maidstone Crown Court he was handed a 12 month jail term suspended for two years, a five year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
Martin Ludlow from the National Crime Agency said: “Thomas Blant’s offending is an outrageous misuse of trust.
“His role as a police officer was to protect the public. Instead, he sought out images of child abuse for his own sexual gratification. Offenders who view such material online only encourage those willing to sexually abuse children in the real world.
“Combatting this threat remains one of the highest priorities for the NCA. We are committed to targeting the most dangerous offenders and those who, like Thomas Blant, go to great lengths to hide their activity, believing they can operate with impunity online.
“As this investigation shows, there is nowhere to hide. We will use all of the tools at our disposal to identify those who pose a sexual threat to children and ensure they are brought to justice.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Jon Armory, Kent Police’s Head of Professional Standards, said: “It is abhorrent that Thomas Blant has committed these offences, particularly while working as a police officer.
“His actions helped fuel the demand for children to be exploited which is a complete betrayal of his duty to protect the vulnerable.
“Thomas Blant was suspended from our force ON FULL PAY as soon as the allegations were first received and we fully supported our colleagues in the National Crime Agency with their criminal investigation. As soon as he admitted the offences in court, we progressed with special case proceedings which led to his dismissal on 17 August.
“The vast majority of our officers and staff do an outstanding job serving the public in line with the highest standards of professionalism and conduct, and we expect no less from them. Those who fall short will face scrutiny.”
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