POLICE who raided a PCSO's home found illegal weapons and evidence to show he was a member of the British National Party (BNP).

Ellis Hammond, aged 23, who was a PCSO for the Coldharbour and New Eltham Safer Neighbourhoods Team, appeared at Bexley Magistrates' Court and admitted possessing illegal weapons He was given a one-year conditional discharge.

Police launched an investigation last December after a stun gun being delivered to Hammond was intercepted.

Officers raided his home in Plymstock Road, Welling, and found a stun gun, CS spray, racist literature and membership to the BNP.

He was arrested and bailed on Christmas Eve. In January he offered to resign as a PCSO and this was accepted.

Hammond was charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon.

On March 4, he pleaded guilty to possessing a stun gun and CS spray.

Hammond was in the police for a year and 10 months. He was briefly employed as a PCSO in the Eltham South team until posted to the Coldharbour team.

Superintendent Martin Mitchell, from Greenwich police, said: "Individuals such as Hammond have no place within the Metropolitan Police Service.

"Where we identify those who are involved in criminality, or who have opinions which conflict with our intention to provide the best quality service to all communities, we will act quickly."

A ban was introduced in 2004 on police officers and PCSOs from being a member of the BNP or the National Front. If they are found to be members, they are dismissed.

Ken Gibson, the organiser for Greenwich BNP and acting organiser for Bexley BNP, said if Hammond is still a member of the BNP it is likely he would be thrown out of the party because of the offences.

He said: "As far as we know he hadn't renewed his membership.

"We're checking his current status and membership.

"If it's been renewed he would face expulsion."

However, he says the ban on police officers and PCSOs being members of the BNP is "outrageous".

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