Merseyside police’s deputy chief constable, Ian Critchley, said: “Connolly had taken photographs of vulnerable people on his personal phone whilst on duty … This breached the duty of confidence lacked honesty and integrity and through his discreditable conduct he has undermined public confidence. When interviewed by detectives from professional standards, Connolly made no comment.īefore the discipline hearing, he provided a written statement, saying he did not know why offensive images were on his phone. He was cleared of trying to acquire cannabis while a serving officer. He took photos of crime victims, including someone missing from home, and shared details about a woman who went to police for help alleging she had suffered domestic violence. He took photos in 2018 of himself at a murder scene where he had been assigned to guard the cordon after a teenager had been stabbed to death. In 2016 he sent a graphic homophobic message. He took a photo of a fellow officer’s rear and shared it via WhatsApp. ![]() In October 2015 he took a photo, while on duty, of someone who had slashed their wrists, and shared it via WhatsApp. He took photos of people who had been arrested. While on duty he took and sent a photo of men in hospital on at least two occasions. ![]() In 2016 and again in 2017, while on duty, he took photos on his mobile of men detained by police under mental health powers, who were in hospital, and shared it via WhatsApp. He also had an image of a Ku Klux Klan member. The discipline panel found that Connolly took photos, or had images on his phone he should not have had, and that he frequently shared them.Ĭonnolly had photos and graphics that were grossly racist, and one depicting Muslim people. Connolly had also had an association with a known criminal without informing his bosses.Ĭonnolly joined the force in January 2003 and had served under the police identification number 2133.Īccording to papers lodged with the tribunal, his offending against police rules began in 2014.Ĭonnolly was accused of a litany of offences, mainly involving his personal Samsung mobile phones. Merseyside police said their anti-corruption unit had caught Connolly and his “offensive behaviour”. ![]() He had resigned before the November hearing, and after the tribunal he was formally sacked by Merseyside police. The discipline tribunal found Connolly guilty of gross misconduct. The Merseyside force said Connolly’s actions had undermined public confidence in policing, and were an “insult” to the majority of officers who served the public with distinction. The pair were convicted in court and sacked in a case that rocked policing.ĭetails of Connolly’s wrongdoing have been confirmed by Merseyside police after inquiries by the Guardian. His case echoes that of the two Metropolitan police officers who used their mobile phones to take pictures at the scene where two sisters lay murdered. While on duty, he also took photos on his mobile phone of people in mental health crisis, in hospitals, who had been sectioned under police powers.
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