Gambling addict police officer who posed as paedophile hunter to blackmail indecent images suspect jailed
A police officer who posed as a paedophile hunter and blackmailed an indecent images suspect in order to fund her gambling addiction has been jailed.
PC Marie Thompson, aged 29, was the officer in charge of a South Yorkshire Police investigation into the man, whom she arrested in October 2022 on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.
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However, she then went on to use a fake email address to demand £3,500 from the suspect using the information against him.
She also falsely told him she had been unable to find the perpetrator when he reported the blackmail from this ‘unknown party’ directly to her.
On Thursday (October 30), Thompson was jailed for 40 months after pleading guilty to blackmail and perverting the course of justice.
Leeds Crown Court heard how after the man’s arrest in October 2022, he was interviewed and released under investigation, pending further examination of his digital devices.
It was then the man received an email from a ProtonMail address demanding £3,500 be paid into a bank account, with an account number and sort code provided.
The email was signed "Paedophile Hunters" and said that the payment would "ensure that information remains between you and us".
It said: "Information has been passed to us that you have been arrested for media involving children. As an organisation which works to protect children from people such as yourself we therefore ask you to make a donation to us."
Later the same day, the man's partner received a text message saying that a reply was needed by the end of the day.
However, the couple did not pay the money and reported it to the police.
Thompson, who worked in Doncaster, told the man she would investigate the matter - but falsely endorsed the crime report to say that he did not want to pursue a complaint.
The court heard she told "a number of lies" in her pocket notebook entries, including changing the mobile number used to text the man's partner to conceal the fact that it was her own personal phone number.
The man later received a second email with the subject "I'm so sorry", which said: "I came to drop something off for my mum and overheard you talking. I never told a soul and never intended to."
The court heard this was "a further attempt by Thompson to cover her tracks".
The investigation was closed, and Thompson lied again to the man six weeks later, saying that the sender of the email and text message could not be traced.
The court heard Thompson left that team in March 2023 and her caseload was transferred.
The officer who inherited the man's case went to see him, and he mentioned the blackmail email and said Thompson had been unable to find out who was responsible.
The court heard the officer checked the number from the text message sent to the man's partner, and found that it was the one Thompson had used on her police vetting form.
A victim impact statement from the man, who was later given a suspended prison sentence for the indecent image charges, said: "I feel extremely angry towards Marie Thompson , she was trusted in her role as a police officer in a department that comes into contact with probably the most vulnerable persons in society.
"For her to know the position I was in and use it against me is unbelievable."
In mitigation the court heard Thompson, who is suspended from the force, suffers from a severe gambling disorder and was in considerable debt at the time.
Following her guilty plea, a Regulation 13 notice was served to Thompson at the direction of Chief Constable Lauren Poultney.
Regulation 13 notice is issued to probationers deemed unfit to serve as a police officer. Thompson subsequently resigned from the force on October 15, 2025.
Detective Constable Alexandra Furniss, the officer in charge of this case, said: "Thompson's crimes are shameful and cast a shadow over the excellent work being delivered for our communities by policing colleagues driven by fairness, integrity and trust.
"There is no place in our force for police officers who fail to live and work by our values and standards. Our work to root out these individuals continues in our tireless bid to ensure our force builds and maintains the trust and confidence of the public."
Kilvinder Vigurs, Deputy Mayor for South Yorkshire, said: “The conviction and sentencing of former South Yorkshire Police officer, Marie Thompson, for blackmail and perverting the course of justice demonstrates the Force’s commitment to dealing with corrupt officers robustly. Her offending behaviour is deeply disturbing and represented a serious breach of public trust and the values that underpin policing in our region.
“I want to commend the Professional Standards Department for their thorough and diligent investigation into this case. Their work has been instrumental in uncovering the truth and ensuring that justice has been served. It is reassuring to see that the force acted swiftly and decisively once suspicions were raised.
“South Yorkshire Police must continue to demonstrate that misconduct will not be tolerated and that those who abuse their position will be held accountable. The vast majority of officers serve with integrity and dedication, and it is vital that we protect the reputation of those who uphold the highest standards.
“As Deputy Mayor, I remain committed to supporting efforts that strengthen transparency, accountability, and public confidence in our police service.”