- Berlin police officer convicted of child pornography
A Berlin police officer has been sentenced to one year and four months of probation in a child pornography case. The Tiergarten Local Court found the 57-year-old guilty of possessing child and youth pornographic image and video files. In one instance, he made child pornography accessible. The man, who has been suspended from duty since the allegations surfaced, is also required to attend six counseling sessions at a therapy facility and be under the supervision of a probation officer for four years.
The court stated that the defendant uploaded a child pornographic file via a search engine in May 2022. In June 2023, various data carriers containing illegal material were seized during a search of the 57-year-old's residence. "These are serious offenses, on a significant scale," said the presiding judge. The defendant has been aware of his pedophilic tendencies for some time and could have sought help through therapy.
"All resolutions ignored"
The suspended police officer admitted to the charges, stating that he "found an image while browsing the internet, then it became more, like an addiction." An interest in child pornography had developed in him "over the years." He committed the acts because he "ultimately ignored all resolutions." That each image represents sexual abuse, he "chose to overlook."
The trial against the police officer was initiated following a tip-off from the USA. According to the indictment, over 3,000 child and youth pornographic images and videos were secured.
The court largely followed the prosecution's request in its ruling. The defense had argued for a sentence of one year of probation. The defendant, who has been in the middle service for 30 years, would have the chance to continue his service if sentenced to less than one year, according to the lawyer. The verdict is not yet final.
The court's ruling also identified multiple instances where the defendant had made various child pornographic materials available online. Despite his awareness of his pedophilic tendencies, he failed to seek help and continued to engage in these activities, disregarding the inherent harm and suffering in each image.
