THE trial of a Redbridge Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) accused of possessing indecent images of children has collapsed.

Daniel Cotham, 24, of Ripple Road, Barking, was accused of two counts of possession of indecent images of a child, two counts of making indecent images of children for either downloading or copying and one count of inciting the distribution of two indecent images of children.

Within the past hour, the judge at the case at Snaresbrook Crown Court directed the jury to find Mr Cotham not guilty on four of the counts due to a lack of evidence.

The fifth charge, of inciting distribution of indecent images, still stands, with the prosecution having one week to decide if they wish to proceed with it.

The jury in the case has been dismissed.

Judge Peter Birts QC said there have "been difficulties” with the case.

He added: “I have decided that there is no case to answer on counts one to four.

“With both items (the images) there is an absence of evidence for the prosecution that these two files were in the defendant’s possession."

Mr Cotham was a PCSO at Ilford Police Station when he was first charged with the offences.

He has always denied the charges.