An officer in Cleveland Police’s vulnerability unit was forced to quit the force in shame after it was discovered he had stored an extreme pornographic video on his phone for more than a year.

PC Phillip Taylor was sent a video of a person performing a sex act on dog a while he was a member of football-related WhatsApp group - not connected to the force.

An accelerated disciplinary hearing was told that the officer had served on the force for 19 years before he resigned in disgrace after accepting an adult caution for the offence.

Chief Constable Mark Webster refused an application from the former officer to hold the hearing in private to save his family from embarrassment.

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Detective Constable Susan Moore, who carried out the investigation in the officer, said his behaviour was ‘unforgivable’ due to the former officer’s role within the force and he was guilty of gross misconduct.

She said: “There can be no doubt that this type of behaviour falls far below the conduct expected of a police officer.”

The disciplinary hearing, at Scotswood House, Thornaby, heard how Taylor admitted he received, viewed and stored the disgusting video and failed to report it to bosses.

DC Moore added: “Such behaviour, especially by an officer in the vulnerability unit, is unforgivable. This video was on his phone for more than a year.”

The officer received the video in February 2021 but his appalling behaviour only came to light a year later when it was recovered from his mobile phone.

He accepted a caution in June this year before resigning from the force the following month and serving his last shift on July 31.

Mr Webster ruled the evidence that Taylor breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of discreditable conduct was ‘irrefutable’.

He said: “The officer admitted this in interview, he accepted a criminal caution and accepted the seriousness of the offence and that the video was disgusting.”

Peter Littlewood, from the Cleveland Police Federation, said the former officer had apologised for his behaviour and for any embarrassment it may have caused the force.

Mr Webster ruled that the former officer should be placed on the Police Barred List banning him from joining any other force in the country.

He added: “His behaviour was disgusting and I am not having that in my force. There are a lot of good officers in this force and they will not accept that behaviour either and will welcome this decision.”

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