Police chief facing child pornography charges found dead in Princes Risborough home

A police chief who had previously been arrested in connection to a child pornography investigation was discovered dead by his colleagues last Thursday (12 January).

Officers found Metropolitan Police chief inspector Richard Watkinson dead in his home in Princes Risborough.

The Sun was first to report that the police were concerned for the senior official when he failed to turn up at a station to be charged with child pornography offences.

Thames Valley Police confirmed the death is being treated as “unexplained but not suspicious”.

Watkinson was due to be charged with conspiracy to distribute or show indecent images of children, three counts of making indecent photos of a child, voyeurism and two counts of misconduct in public office.

In the aftermath of Watkins’ death two further arrests have been made.

Metropolitan Police confirmed two retired officers who served in its force have been arrested in connection to the Watkins investigation.

Read more: Missing boy from Aylesbury found 'safe and well'

Jack Addis, 63, from Perthshire, and Jeremy Laxton, 62, from Lincolnshire, have been charged with sharing ­indecent images of children.

Addis has been charged with conspiracy to distribute or show indecent images of children. He was arrested in November 2021.

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 an offence. He was arrested in September 2021.

They are set to appear in court next month.

They both left the force more than 10 years ago.

The dead police inspector had been in charge of neighbourhood policing in the West Area Command Unit.

He had been suspended from his duties in the 18 months following his arrest.

An inquest into his death has been opened and adjourned.

A joint investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct and the Metropolitan Police’s professional standards unit was set up in 2021.

Watkinson’s property was searched as part of the operation.

The alleged offences took place between January 1, 2018 and September 20, 2021.

Commander Jon Savell from the Metropolitan Police professional standards team said: “Chief Inspector Watkinson was facing extremely serious and concerning charges, as the result of a painstaking and thorough police investigation.

“Before this matter came to light, we had no previous information about these allegations or to indicate the officer posed any risk to the public.

“He had not faced any other criminal or conduct matters during his Met career.

“He had been suspended from duty since his arrest.

“Two other men were also arrested during the course of the investigation and have been charged, their matters will now progress through the courts.”