Former firefighter jailed for taking and sharing photos of dead man after car crash

4 October 2024, 16:18 | Updated: 4 October 2024, 16:39

A former firefighter who took and shared photos of a dead man while on duty has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.

Cameron Hancel, 33, was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday, after admitting misconduct in a public office while at West Midlands Fire Service.

He had taken images of a dead man and at the scene of a road traffic accident sending them to others.

Hancel, of Sandwell, near Birmingham, was a first responder at the scene of a fatal car crash on March 13, 2023. He took three photos of the dead body on his personal phone and sent them to friends with WhatsApp.

He was caught after West Midlands Police looked at a phone that received his message.

At first he denied sending the photos to others but later admitted that his actions amounted to misconduct in public office.

Georgina Davies, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Cameron Hancel’s actions were a clear betrayal of the trust placed in him as a public servant.

“Despite initially denying the allegations, the overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution led him to accept that his conduct was not only unprofessional but criminal.

"As a firefighter, he was employed to protect the public, not to exploit the tragic loss of life.

"Hancel’s behaviour has caused further anguish to the deceased’s family who are still mourning their unimaginable loss and I hope that today’s proceedings provide some measure of justice and closure during this difficult time.”