Police Officer Accused of Taking Selfies While Guarding Murder Scene of Teenage Boy
A serving police officer took selfies while on duty guarding a murder investigation scene following the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old boy, a court heard today. PC Ryan Connolly, 41, allegedly took pictures of himself, including one where he was lying down in the summer sunshine, while manning a cordon at the scene in Liverpool on July 3, 2018.
Details of the Alleged Misconduct
The Merseyside Police officer had been tasked with securing the scene after the killing of Daniel Gee-Jamieson, who died in hospital after being stabbed during a fight witnessed by up to 30 youths. Prosecutor Peter Wilson told the jury at Manchester Crown Court that there were 'selfies of him stood there and then laying down'. He added that officers are 'entrusted by the public not only to uphold the rule of law, but to safeguard and protect society' and therefore 'cannot abuse their position of power and trust'.
Connolly is accused of unlawfully taking six crime scene photos, as well as using his mobile phone to take photos of police documents and people with whom officers were dealing. He allegedly took 24 photos of people arrested at police stations and hospitals before sharing them on WhatsApp. The jury of seven women and five men were told that some of those photographed included domestic violence victims or 'vulnerable' people with mental health problems.
Broader Pattern of Inappropriate Behavior
The court heard that the 'inappropriate' photos were taken between February 2014 and February 2020 while Connolly was on duty. He was arrested on February 4, 2020, and his mobile phone was seized during an anti-corruption investigation by Merseyside Police. In his defense, Connolly stated that the images were taken for work purposes and shared only with individual officers, not in group chats. However, the prosecution argues that storing them on WhatsApp instead of police systems constitutes criminal misconduct.
Connolly, of Liverpool, denies four counts of misconduct in a public office. The trial continues, with the case highlighting serious concerns about police conduct and public trust. In a related development, Owen Cousins was later cleared of Daniel’s murder but convicted of manslaughter and jailed for 11 years.
