Norfolk's chief constable has described the actions of a serving Norfolk police officer who was convicted of indecent images offences as "deplorable".

George Ince, 26, a former Great Yarmouth-based officer has been jailed for 16 months after admitting indecent images offences between May 2019 and July 2020.

Norwich Crown Court heard Ince, of Kingfisher Close, Stalham, had images of female children as young as six, ranging up to 17.

The court also heard he was involved in discussions about the rape of a 14-year-old girl as well as another chat about a 12-year-old girl being tied up.

Speaking after the sentencing hearing on Thursday (October 7), Norfolk's chief constable Paul Sanford said: "The viewing and sharing of indecent images is an abhorrent crime, which fuels the exploitation and suffering of vulnerable children.

"What makes this case even more deplorable is that when these offences were committed, Ince was a serving police officer, the very person who should been working to prevent this type of offending and safeguarding children.

"We know the police service is rightly under intense scrutiny at the moment. When a police officer is convicted and sentenced for offences, it discredits the service and betrays that vital bond of trust with the public.

"I completely understand the concerns people have. As your chief constable I share that concern because Ince’s behaviour does not represent the high professional standards that officers of all ranks across the county pride themselves in while carrying out their duties, day in day out. "

He added: "I want the public to know that we expect the utmost professionalism and the highest standards of personal conduct from officers.

"When these are in question, I’m confident we have the right processes in place to take swift, impartial and robust action and when we’re able to, we’re open and honest about it. In both cases the officers were immediately suspended and when possible in according with Police Regulations, the necessary misconduct proceedings were held.”

Ince was jailed after he admitted three offences of making an indecent photo of a child, three offences of distributing an indecent image of a child and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

Jailing him, Judge Anthony Bate said the former police officer’s conduct was “appalling” and involved indecent images of the “gravest kind”.