A DISGRACED police officer was sentenced to four years in prison for sexual activity with a child yesterday.

PC James Evans, attached to Ealing Borough, was arrested on Friday, January 29 and sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday, August 31.

The victim was a girl under the age of 16 with the offences said to have taken place between Thursday, December 31 2015 and Thursday, January 28 2016 while the police officer was off duty.

Officers from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command investigated the case and charged Evans with six counts of sexual activity with a child on Friday, July 1.

Evans pleaded guilty to all six charges at Isleworth Crown Court.

The officer was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and has been added to the sex offender's register for life.

Rt Hon Judge Robin Johnson said: “Before any sexual activity, you knew she was a vulnerable young girl.

“Nevertheless you allowed your own desire to overcome your better judgement.

“The reason why parliament and the public take this kind of offending so seriously is because the harm caused in these cases is incalculable.

“Her victim impact statement makes for sad reading, and I have no doubt this episode has caused her serious psychological harm.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Matt Gardner, Commander of the Directorate of Professional Standards said: "It is the duty of police to protect from harm, not to seek to cause it and this duty is especially important for the most vulnerable in our society including children.

"PC Evans' behaviour has fallen well short of the high standards that we expect. He has abused the trust placed in him by society and will now have to pay the penalty for his appalling actions in prison."

An NSPCC spokesperson said: “The law is very clear — the age of consent in the UK is 16 years old — you don’t have to be a policeman to know that.

"Laws are there to protect children and stop abuse or exploitation.

“Evans’s crimes robbed his defenceless victim of her childhood and will have a lasting impact well into her adult years.   

“It is vital anyone affected can get the support they need rather than suffer in silence, as sadly so many do.”

Now that the criminal proceedings have concluded a misconduct review will take place.