Police Officer Terminated Following Creation of Erotic Content on Official Work Device
A Metropolitan Police officer has been dismissed after it was revealed he used his work laptop to write explicit and offensive stories during working hours.
Background and Context
Detective Constable Thomas Sewell, who was tasked with training newly recruited detectives, was found to have engaged in inappropriate activities during periods of supposed downtime. During a misconduct hearing, it emerged that he utilized his official work device to compose and access sexually explicit and misogynistic content.
Details of the Misconduct
The misconduct hearing disclosed that DC Sewell authored a first-person erotic narrative that contained highly offensive language, including misogynistic and aggressive themes. The content was described by the hearing chair as “deeply offensive,” particularly given its context related to police work.
The officer acknowledged the allegations against him, explaining that he had been writing such stories for many years as a coping mechanism for a traumatic incident early in his career. In addition to writing, DC Sewell admitted to frequently browsing Wikipedia during working hours, where he accessed pages featuring pornography, explicit images, sex shows, and themes related to exhibitionism.
Content of the Written Material
An excerpt from the story, titled White Male Juvenile, was shared during the hearing. It included provocative language suggesting objectification and commodification of women, with a quote: “Why bother trying to succeed in the male-dominated world, if you’re simply going to do what women claim they hate doing and objectify yourself, show off your assets, your physicality, advertise your attributes like there’s a sale on for them at the moment.”
Another passage referenced a person in mental health crisis, describing them with contemptuous language as “pond scum,” illustrating the lack of empathy and professionalism in his portrayal.
Context of Employment and Explanation
At the time of the misconduct, DC Sewell was conducting training for new detectives and reported that he had insufficient work to perform due to staffing shortages—fewer recruits and resources leading to extended periods of idleness. He claimed that personal injury sustained earlier in his career led him to seek refuge in writing as a way of managing trauma.
Outcome and Disciplinary Action
The misconduct hearing concluded with a decisive ruling. Commander Katie Lilburn, chair of the hearing, determined that DC Sewell’s actions constituted gross misconduct. She emphasized that his behavior was not only unprofessional but also deeply inappropriate, considering its sexually explicit and misogyn