New reports surrounding officer sexual misconduct in the Metro Police department are once again lingering. This time after an officer who had been previously accused of a sexual crime against a minor was found dead in his home without a clear cause of death.
Former chief inspector Richard Watkins was accused of an non consensual invasive sex act with a minor, and is tied to an ongoing investigation involving 2 other officers also accused of sex crimes.
Watkins, who was set to answer for bail the day his body was found unresponsive in his home, but despite the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, no autopsy report or official statements have been made by the MET department or Thames Valley Police who discovered his body. Additionally, there are no active suspects.
The officers charged alongside Watkins are Jack Addis, 63, a former firearms officer with the Met, who now lives in Perthshire, Scotland and Jeremy Laxton, 62, who also served with the Met. The pair are slated for court at Westminster Magistrates’ on Thursday Feb 9.
Addis is charged with conspiracy to distribute or show indecent images of children. Laxton has been charged with conspiracy to distribute or show indecent images of children, three counts of making indecent photos of a child, possession of prohibited images of a child, possession of extreme pornographic images and intentionally encouraging or assisting misconduct in public office.
–Sylvester Loving, B1Daily
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