A PC found guilty of holding thousands of indecent images of children would have been dismissed from the Metropolitan Police had he not resigned in disgrace, a police chief has ruled.
Former Met officer Darren Hourigan, who would patrol the streets of Bromley, Croydon and Sutton, was found in possession of a “very large number of indecent images of children” – including 2,253 category A, 866 category B and 666 category C images, according to a misconduct hearing.
An accelerated misconduct hearing was held on Monday found the allegations proven at the level of gross misconduct and as a result former PC Hourigan, had he still been a serving officer, would have been dismissed without notice.
The Chair, Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray, said in her report: “In behaving as he did, former PC Hourigan’s actions have contributed to a child sexual abuse industry that injures children, ruins lives and causes significant suffering to many.”
She added: “This was pre-meditated behaviour, which required planning. Former PC Hourigan displayed malign sexual intent in possessing such images. His behaviour was regular and his catalogue of illegal images involved multiple victims.”
Chf Supt Andy Brittain, who is in charge of policing in South Area, said: “We have made it clear that the Met will take action against any of its staff who are not fit to remain within the organisation.
“We are committed to providing Londoners with a Met that they deserve; one that upholds the law on the streets of the capital and amongst its own ranks. The vast majority of the thousands of police officers and staff are striving to take this forward – those who won’t are not worthy to remain.”
Hourigan was arrested in March 2020 following an investigation by the Met’s Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse team, supported by the Directorate of Professional Standards.
He only resigned from the Met on April 26 this year.
It came after he was charged by post on 21 September 2022 with three counts of possession of indecent images of children and appeared at Kingston Crown Court on 14 November 14 last year 2022, where he was bailed.
At a subsequent hearing, he pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of indecent images of children.
He will be sentenced at the same court on July 7.
