Ex-Firefighter Jailed for Horrific WhatsApp Photos of Crash Victim
A former West Midlands firefighter has been locked up for 20 months after snapping and sharing grotesque images of a car crash victim’s body — complete with mocking messages and offensive emojis. Cameron Hancel, 34, stole pictures of electrician Kevin Doughty, 38, lying dead on a Staffordshire road and sent them to friends on WhatsApp.
Disgusting Images Unearthed During Separate Police Probe
The horrifying misconduct came to light during an unrelated death investigation a week later, when police found the photos on a friend’s phone. Hancel, who worked for the West Midlands Fire Service, initially tried to pin the blame on colleagues, calling it “a prank.” Eventually, he admitted sharing the sick snaps and comments.
Judge Slams “Truly Appalling” Behaviour
At wolverhampton-crown-court/" title="Wolverhampton Crown Court" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="963">Wolverhampton Crown Court, Judge Michael Chambers KC blasted Hancel’s “inexplicable” actions. “Members of the public expect to place their trust in emergency personnel,” the judge said, noting how the victim’s grieving family suffered further trauma because of the firefighter’s callousness.
“Cameron Hancel’s actions were a clear betrayal of the trust placed in him as a public servant,” said Senior Crown Prosecutor Georgina Davies. “He was employed to protect the public, not to exploit tragic loss.”
From Trusted Firefighter to Fired Offender
Hancel served three years with the fire service before being dismissed last July following his arrest. His cheeky defiance — telling contacts, “I do what the f*** I want to do — no one tells me s**t” — didn’t save him from a prison sentence. The case stands as a grim warning about the harsh consequences of betraying public trust, especially in moments of tragedy.
