Police are accused of playing ‘fast and loose’ with anti-terror laws by using legislation to keep convicted paedophile officer’s address secret
- West Midlands Police accused of playing ‘fast and loose’ with anti terror laws
- Address details for an officer convicted of child porn charges were withheld
- The force said if it was published he and his family may be targeted by terrorists
- Inspector Lee Bartram admitted making and distributing 300 indecent images of children
A police force is accused of playing ‘fast and loose’ with anti-terror legislation after it withheld the address of a convicted paedophile officer over fears he could be a target for extremists.
West Midlands Police told a judge that he would be helping to combat terrorism if he banned the publication of Inspector Lee Bartram’s address.
The 44-year-old pleaded guilty to making and distributing more than 300 indecent images of children, including videoing a boy of six and blaming his parents for dressing him in an attractive way.
Usually, a defendant’s address would be read to the court and published, but the force and his lawyers persuaded the judge that it should be kept secret.
Bartram (pictured left and right) appeared at Walsall Magistrates Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to making and distributing more than 300 images of children
Assistant Chief Constable Gareth Cann wrote to District judge Graham Wilkinson saying if the address was withheld ‘you would be making a valuable contribution to mitigating the current threat we face.’
Judge Wilkinson then banned the details from being made public because it could lead to him or his family being ‘targeted by terrorists for the most serious acts of violence.’
A spokesman for West Midlands Police told Mailonline that it was ‘standard policy’ to request an officer’s address is withheld due to the current threat level.
But Professor Anthony Glees, the director of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at the University of Buckingham said: ‘It is extremely unsettling if West Midlands Police are playing fast and loose with anti terror legislation.
‘Counter terrorism officers would be appalled it was being used in this way, to protect a PC who has been convicted of child pornography crimes.
Professor Anthony Glees, the director of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at the University of Buckingham
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‘The information we have suggests that this police officer has not been involved in the counter terror police.
‘On the face of it, this brings anti terror legislation into disrepute, and it damages public perception of anti terror legislation, allowing others to rubbish it.’
However, Professor Glees said there may be hidden fear within the West Midlands force that its officers could be targeted by terrorists.
He added: ‘For this to fall under the remit of terror, then there has to be some type of specific connection to the people that would go and do this.
Policeman Lee Bartram (pictured), 44, has pleaded guilty to making and possessing indecent images of children
‘It is not only Islamic terror that poses a threat, we know that there are a number of right wing extremists who are prepared to resort to violence.
‘If there is a threat against officers in this area, that that too is extremely unsettling.’
According to The Times, last month the press were banned from reporting the address of a West Midlands officer accused of using “highly sexualised” language towards a victim of crime.
Again, the court was told that it could make him a target for terrorists.
Other forces do not appear to be using the same tactic, the paper reports, including the Metropolitan Police, whose officer Keith Palmer was murdered in Westminster in a terror attack last year.
Prosecutors said some of the films made by Bartram (pictured) had a ‘commentary’ from the officer ‘as to what he would like to do’ with the children
Last month details of a Met officer charged with assault were released an alleged rapist from the force has had his details released.
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: ‘This is standard policy where we request an officer’s address is withheld due to the current threat level.
‘It is then up to the judge on how they rule on this.’
Bartram pleaded guilty to five counts of making indecent images of a child and two counts of distributing similar images.
The charges, spanning a period between August 2013 and the same month of this year, relate to a total of 328 images, including some found on an iPad and an iPhone.
Opening the facts of the case at Walsall Magistrates’ Court, prosecutor Mark Cooper said some of the films made by Bartram had a ‘commentary’ from the officer ‘as to what he would like to do’ with the children.
On one of the films, Bartram was recorded ‘blaming the parents’ of a child because of the way the youngster was dressed.
Mr Cooper added that although Bartram, who worked as an inspector in Birmingham city centre, had breached his bail, the evidence showed he had not acted upon his ‘fantasies’ in the virtual world.
Bartram, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, sat with his head bowed and his hands over his face throughout much of the hearing.
A further application for bail, before his sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court on September 13, was also denied.
District Judge Graham Wilkinson said: ‘The videoing of the child happened when you were subject to bail that is the case that passes before me and you have continued to show an interest in underage boys.
‘I have no option but to remand you in custody, the prison service is adept at protecting the vulnerable prisoners and we know this is a serious matter.
‘It will be flagged up that you are not placed on an open wing and treated as the most vulnerable sort of prisoner.
‘You will also be required to be on the Sex Offenders Register.’
Mark Cooper, prosecuting, said: ‘There are a number of intimations that the defendant was going to commit suicide, a cold and calculated decision where he weighed the pros and cons of what he was going to lose and what his life was going to be like.
‘His fantasises have moved from the virtual world to the physical world and become more and more worrying.
‘The Crown is seeking his remand for his own protection.’
Four of the counts Bartram admits relate to making and distributing category C and B images on May 15 this year.
Three of the charges range from making images between August 15, 2013 and August 15 this year including one count of making 290 category C images.
Speaking in favour on the defence application to prevent the publication of his address, Judge Wilkinson said: ‘Sadly we live in an arena of new terrorism where serving police officers are targets and members of his family will be targeted.
‘He is likely to be targeted for the most serious incidents of violence and is not in the public interest.
‘Safety is my priority, his address must not be published by any person at any point.’
Bartram was remanded in custody to appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on September 13 for sentencing.
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said Bartram had been suspended from the force while proceedings continue.
The matter has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
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