A former police officer has been jailed for three-and-a-half years for arson, possession of bestiality videos and giving his gun and uniform to a woman undertaking police training online.
Kritan Kutti admitted to a number of offences, including arson, uploading protected police footage to social media, possessing bestiality material and perverting the course of justice during several hearings last year.
The court was told the 36-year-old, who worked as a lock-up keeper at Oaklands Police Station during a three-year deployment, set fire to two cars near his property on April 27, 2023.
During sentencing at Albury District Court on Thursday, Judge Justin Smith told the court Kutti had initially tried to mislead investigators in that matter by naming three suspects, but that cell tower data proved the trio was home at the time.
“There was a degree of planning … even though the execution was clumsy,” Judge Smith told the court.
“The fact that the offender’s lies didn’t succeed is irrelevant. It is the tendency of his conduct.”
Kritan Kutti appeared in Albury court over charges including damaging property by fire for gain. (ABC Goulburn Murray: Greg Ryan)
Body cam footage shared
Judge Smith told the court a mobile phone was seized as part of the investigation into the arson, and that 16 videos featuring bestiality were downloaded via the encrypted messaging app, Telegram.
The court heard police alleged Kutti also used his phone to share body-worn camera footage on social media of incidents he had attended as an officer, including footage of a woman being treated by paramedics for mental health issues.
“A police officer sharing videos of people in real distress is serious, particularly as he was there … to help them,” Judge Smith said.
The court heard another video showed a woman wearing a NSW Police uniform handling firearms.
The woman, who was undertaking police training via distance education, confirmed Kutti had provided his uniform and other equipment for her to wear in the video, including his Glock firearm.
“The offender [Kutti] is not an approved weapons and or firearms trainer within his role with the New South Wales Police Force at the time of the recording,” a statement of fact provided to the court read.
Kritan Kutti was handed a three-and-a-half-year jail term on Thursday. (ABC News: Philippe Perez)
Affected by baby death discovery
The court heard Kutti was on duty when the body of a baby was found in a freezer in Corowa in 2022, something his lawyers argued had deeply impacted him.
Judge Smith told the court while that incident, and several others, had led to a PTSD diagnosis and depression, there was no indication Kutti was not aware of what he was doing when he set fire to the cars.
The court heard Kutti had requested a transfer to Sydney five times for personal reasons, and that he had found working in a rural town challenging.
Each application he submitted for transfer was rejected, but Kutti was offered a temporary position from NSW Police to be stationed closer to his family, which he rejected.
Kutti sat motionless throughout the sentencing before hugging a supporter and being taken into custody.
He will be eligible for parole in two years.