A POLICE officer who admitted possessing thousands of pornographic images of children was beginning a jail sentence last night.
Officers who raided the home of Chester constable Robin Mc-Innes found images of children "of the vilest possible nature".
The single 46-year-old, who had been a serving police officer for 27 years, quit his job with the Cheshire force following his arrest last September.
Yesterday, he was jailed for 18 months at Chester Crown Court after pleading guilty to 14 charges relating to more than 15,000 indecent photographs of children.
Judge Elgan Edwards told him: "These images are of the vilest possible nature and those who look at them and compile them, albeit in the privacy of their own home, commit a serious offence."
McInnes said he had begun visiting child porn sites because of media cover-age and material he had seen through his work.
When police searched his home in Foregate Street, Chester, McInnes admitted he had "loads of porn stuff", some of which involved children, and added he knew he had lost his job, the court heard.
He told police he had initially downloaded what he described as "arty shots" of young teenagers before being drawn to more serious images.
Pornographic images of children are graded from one to five in severity and the court heard that the pictures in McInnes' possession ranged through all five grades.
Sue Goddard, defending, said Mc-Innes had co-operated fully with the police when they searched his home and had showed them where to find his stash of child pornography.
She said he had a valuable and well-respected position in the local community and had now lost his good name.
"He finds it almost impossible to explain how he commenced with his habit.
"He says he simply couldn't stop," said Miss Goddard. "Part of the appeal was the excitement of doing something illegal that he thought would never be caught."
Following his release from prison, McInnes will be required to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for the next 10 years.
Deputy Chief Constable of Cheshire, Ian Holding, said: "It is important that those who seek to commit these reprehensible crimes are caught and brought to justice to ensure the safety of the public.
"This sentence should serve to reassure the public that all those committing such offences can be traced and prosecuted, regardless of their back-ground or occupation."
