Met Police chief inspector found dead before he was due to be charged over child abuse images ‘hidden behind trap door’
A SENIOR cop has been found dead at his home after failing to attend a police station to be charged over possessing child abuse images, The Sun can reveal.
The body of Met Police chief inspector Richard Watkinson, 49, was discovered by colleagues concerned about his welfare.
Police said his death was "unexplained" though not suspicious and sources said it is suspected Watkinson killed himself while under "huge mental strain" over the case.
Further toxicology tests are being carried out to establish his cause of death. The coroner has been informed and an inquest will take place in due course.
One source told The Sun that Watkinson was due to report back on bail last Thursday morning to be charged over an alleged network of online paedophiles.
He is said to have feared he was about to be publicly named in connection with the alleged conspiracy to distribute indecent images of children.
Read more news
The source said: "He was due to report back on bail on Thursday morning and when he failed to turn up officers went to his home that afternoon and discovered his body."
The Met Police said: “Met officers attended an address in Buckinghamshire on the afternoon of Thursday, 12 January following welfare concerns and found the body of a man in his 40s’.”
A Thames Valley Police spokesman added: "Officers were called to Saunderton, Princes Risborough, at just after 3.35pm on Thursday 12 January.
"Sadly, the body of a man was located inside a property at that location.
Most read in The Sun
"The man’s death is unexplained but not suspicious. A file will be prepared for the coroner.
"His next of kin have been made aware and our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends."
Watkinson was first arrested 18 months ago when up to thousands of indecent images were allegedly discovered in a secret room at his home.
He was nicknamed ‘Sir Smashy’ after a Harry Enfield character by junior officers on the Met’s West Area Basic Command Unit where he worked.
He was a popular and high profile officer often wheeled out by the Met to give public statements following high-profile stings and police operations.
But colleagues were "shocked" by Watkinson’s arrest on 9 July 2021.
Watkinson was originally held over allegations of misconduct in public office, sending obscene messages, corrupt exercise of police powers and data protection breaches.
It followed a joint probe by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and the Met’s professional standards unit.
During a search of the cop’s home, investigators are said to have found a secret trap-door which led to an area where computer equipment allegedly containing the child abuse images was found.
The material is said to have been Category A and B – the two most serious bands - which feature children being sexually abused.
Following the alleged discovery of the illegal material, Chief Insp Watkinson was further arrested 11 days later on suspicion of offences including conspiracy to distribute indecent images of children, voyeurism and misconduct in public office.
He was released on bail and suspended from duties while investigations continued.
A "lengthy and complex" investigation was carried out into the case by Met Specialist Crime officers in liaison with cops in Scotland and Lincolnshire and with advice from CPS lawyers.
Two other men – neither of them police officers - were charged last week with conspiracy to distribute or show indecent images of children and are due to appear in court shortly.
Sources said Watkinson feared he was also going to be charged to appear in court.
One former colleague said: "He was a popular governor and his arrest caused a great deal of shock.
"There was talk of thousands of images and videos being found behind a trap door in his home.
"He had been under huge mental strain while he was on bail and there were concerns that he was suicidal.
"The worst fears for his health have now been realised and he was found dead last week. It is suspected he killed himself."
Suicide risks among child sexual abuse (CSA) offenders and those accused of accessing indecent images of children (IIOC) were highlighted in an academic study funded by NHS England in 2021.
While no official figures for numbers exist, the research indicated suicides among perpetrators are more than 100 times the general population.
It stressed: "The process of prosecution and conviction… can be lengthy and involve extended periods on bail in the community, increasing the time over which someone may experience extreme fear and shame."
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The study called for further research into the "extremely high suicide risk in perpetrators".
It concluded: "CSA offenders, and more specifically IIOC perpetrators, are dying by suicide at an alarming rate…"
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.