A DISGRACED cop who starred in a reality TV crime show has been booted off the force for trying to groom kids online. PC Lee Tatton was followed by camera crews for the fly-on-the-wall documentary Cops UK: Bodycam Squad as he helped rid the streets of criminals. The 54 year-old response officer – nicknamed Tatts […]
A DISGRACED cop who starred in a reality TV crime show has been booted off the force for trying to groom kids online.
PC Lee Tatton was followed by camera crews for the fly-on-the-wall documentary Cops UK: Bodycam Squad as he helped rid the streets of criminals.
The 54 year-old response officer – nicknamed Tatts – was filmed breaking up pub brawls and dealing with day-to-day policing in Stoke-on-Trent.
He was later snared by his own colleagues investigating online child abuse and pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences.
The shamed officer has now been kicked off Staffordshire Police force following a special case hearing today.
The panel concluded Tatton’s actions amounted to gross misconduct and he was dismissed without notice.
Staffordshire Police Chief Constable Gareth Morgan said: “Officers swear an oath to serve the people of Staffordshire with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality – and the overwhelming majority of officers and staff are loyal to that promise.
“Lee Tatton has fallen far short of the high standards expected by the public and the force and his discreditable conduct has led to his dismissal.”
Production company Raw Cut shadowed PC Tatton and his colleagues in the first series of Cops UK: Bodycam Squad in 2016, with Tatton covering the busy patch of Hanley in Stoke-on-Trent.
Speaking at the time, Tatton said: “It was put to our shift about the camera crews coming out with us and I was happy to volunteer.
“After a while it became second nature explaining to them what we were dealing with.
“I hope it will give people an insight into what we do and the things we have to deal with at 4am and 5am when most people are tucked up in bed.”
The PC was later investigated by the force’s Operation Safenet team, a dedicated unit looking into online child abuse to protect vulnerable youngsters.
He was arrested in December last year while stationed at the force’s Northern Resolution Centre which deals with minor crime.
Tatton was immediately suspended from duty and appeared in the dock at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday to admit his crimes.
He pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and four counts of making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child.
The shamed officer will be sentenced on November 2.
