Former deputy police commissioner Jevon McSkimming has pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing objectionable material, including child exploitation and bestiality content, following an extensive police investigation into his internet activity.
According to a police summary presented in court on Thursday, McSkimming, 52, admitted that his pornography consumption had “kept escalating” over the years, telling a colleague he needed “different types of pornography to feel anything.” He also confessed to finding a way around internal police systems to access such material, Stuff reported.
The investigation revealed that between July 2020 and March 2024, McSkimming had used Google to make over 5000 searches, many aimed at accessing or generating objectionable content. Authorities recovered 2945 objectionable images, including 290 real child exploitation images, 816 AI-generated or computer-generated child sexual depictions, and 1839 bestiality-related images, reported Stuff.
A police report noted that some material was accessed during work hours using police devices, with approximately 7% of his total searches classified as likely to return objectionable content.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers condemned McSkimming’s actions, calling them “disgraceful” and “a betrayal of the values police stand for,” as quoted by Stuff.
“The outcome shows all police, no matter their rank, are accountable to the laws that apply to us all,” Chambers said. “This shameful episode has done an immense disservice to the dedication of honest officers,” quoted Stuff.
Judge Tim Black convicted McSkimming and remanded him on bail until December 17, when sentencing will take place.
A senior police source described the case as “horrific”, stating that it had “ruined the reputation of the force built on years of good police work.” The source added that McSkimming’s misuse of work devices for “deviant purposes” reflected “arrogance and entitlement,” Stuff reported.
McSkimming, who served in the force for more than 25 years, declined to answer questions from reporters as he left the courthouse alongside his lawyer, Letizea Ord.