EXCLUSIVE: Porn-addict police sergeant sent extreme porn and bestiality clips on whatsApp

A SELF-confessed "porn addict" police sergeant sent and received a string of "deeply offensive" and obscene videos and images on WhatsApp including clips showing bestiality, extreme sexual violence, and racist and discriminatory material, a misconduct panel heard.

Former police sergeant Glynn Martin resigned from a nearly 20-year career in March.

It was while a professional standards probe into messages he sent, including to other officers, and received over an eight-month period, continued, the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) misconduct panel hearing was told. The content was so severe that he was arrested and his home was searched by Lancashire Police in November 2017, but no charges followed. The case centred on nine messages he sent on a WhatsApp group and to individuals, including videos showing a man having sex with a woman who appeared to be unconscious, bestiality, mutilation of male genitals and offensive material about disabled people. During the same period, from March to November 2017, he also received seven messages containing offensive content, including similar extreme pornography, and material that was anti-Semitic, Islamophobic and which glorified white supremacists. A report of the misconduct hearing published on Wednesday said Mr Martin had been commended during his career and was of previous good character. It added: "Mr Martin sent to third parties material that on any reading was obscene and deeply offensive, he forwarded images of sexual violence and sexual activity with animals, and images and “jokes” which are discriminatory and offensive. We regard his culpability to be high. "Moreover he actively engaged in online activity which he described to Lancashire Police and then Professional Standards Branch included online adult sexual relationships and “sexting,” he was addicted to online pornography and engaged in multiple concurrent chats, in our view that exposed him to risk and despite that heightened risk he sent on material without fully viewing the content." The panel heard that in from late 2019 to February 2021 he received "counselling to assist him in dealing with his addiction to on line pornography." The report added: "We should also make clear that though we have heard and read about Mr Martin having an addiction to pornography and that he has compulsive tendencies it has not been suggested that he has any relevant mental ill health or disability and although asked by the chair on behalf of the panel, the officer did not seek to introduce any medical evidence beyond his counselling information." Of the received messages, Mr Martin told investigators he had never opened any of them and had no idea they were on his phone. However, he admitted sending the nine messages and partially viewing some of the videos before doing so. He was quoted in the report as saying: "I used WhatsApp compulsively. I sent and received many messages on WhatsApp. I sent and received many images and videos on WhatsApp too. I did not open up, in order to enlarge, all of the images I received, I did not view all the videos I received in full or at all. "I accept that it was inappropriate of me to forward these images on. They certainly do not reflect my thoughts, values or morals. I uphold the law, I do not condone the committing of serious sexual offences. I deeply regret my actions." He said he did not find the content funny or interesting and accepted it was inappropriate and reckless to send it. The panel concluded if he had still been a serving officer he would have faced dismissal without notice. The case is the latest in a string of misogyny allegations to hit police forces in the wake of the Wayne Couzens scandal after he murdered Sarah Everard in March 2021. In February the Independent Office of Police Conduct released a report that found officers, mainly at Charing Cross police station, had regularly shared grossly offensive racist and misogynistic messages, leading to 15 recommendations for improvements. In October 2021, the Met launched an ongoing review of its culture, standards and practices following the conviction of Couzens. Since the review began there have been a series of misconduct findings where current and former Met officers were found to have sexually assaulted or harassed female colleagues and even suspects and victims of crime, with a number of serving officers also charged with rape.