Police officer demanded nude photos from 15-year-old girls on social media

A baby-faced constable has narrowly avoided jail after he paid two 15-year-old girls more than $2300 for nude photos while persistently grooming one of them for sex.

Nicholas Filmer was a constable in the NSW Police Force when he contacted a 15-year-old girl on social media and persistently messaged her over six months.

The court was told he groomed her using strategies such as complimenting her appearance, complaining when she didn’t reply to him, and sending her money in order to solicit naked photos of the minor.

After sending her $1450 from his police bank account, the 26-year-old pressured the reluctant teen for nude photos by telling her: “You owe me”.

He also transferred $900 to a second underage 15-year-old girl, who sent him naked images she had downloaded from the internet.

Judge Andrew Scotting accepted Filmer had been motivated by his feelings of “sexual inadequacy” to exchange sexual messages with the minors.

He said the former police officer was also messaging “a large number of adult women” on Snapchat and he had paid around $3000 “for their services”.

The judge said he wasn’t satisfied Filmer intended to meet the first 15-year-old in person and highlighted that he made no attempt to have direct contact with either victim.

“The offender did not have a sexual interest in the children,” he concluded.

“The offender engaged in sexting as a result of his complex medical condition.”

A forensic psychologist gave evidence that Filmer did not meet the criteria for classification as a pedophile but could be diagnosed as having erectile dysfunction.

He described the former police officer as a “deeply psychologically troubled and immature young man” who suffers from “a quite severe disturbance of personality”.

The court was told Filmer’s mental health issues had a “profound impact” on his ability to form romantic attachments.

He showered the first teen victim in compliments, telling her she was “stunning” and “gorgeous” before demanding to know why she was “leading him on” when she didn’t reply.

“I want to see you naked,” he told her.

Judge Scotting said the 15-year-old had tried to block Filmer on social media, but he persisted and she felt “pressured, scared and humiliated”.

The 26-year-old was also “pushy” with the second victim before sending her $900.

Crown prosecutor Danielle New previously emphasised the “profound and pervasive impact of this offending” on the two victims.

“What was ordinarily done in a carefree and unassuming way online is, to use (the 15-year-old victim’s) word, now ‘tainted’,” she said.

Judge Scotting found it was an “isolated period of wrongdoing” and noted Filmer made no attempt to hide the payments, which were sent from his police bank account.

“I accept he is genuinely contrite,” he said.

He handed Filmer a two year jail sentence which he immediately suspended after finding jail would be “very onerous” because of the type of offence, his former profession, and his mental health conditions.

Instead of spending any time behind bars, the 26-year-old must pay $1000 and be well behaved for three years.

The 26-year-old maintained a blank expression as his sentence was delivered.

In an apology letter read aloud during his sentencing hearing, Filmer said his criminal actions were a “source of great shame” and there was “no excuse” for his behaviour.

“Words cannot begin to express the regret I feel about my actions and the sorrow I feel for the harm done by my actions,” the 26-year-old wrote.

“Nothing can repair the harm but (I) only (hope) the young ladies will be able to move on.”

Filmer resigned from the NSW Police Force in December and now works on a chicken farm.