A retired detective inspector sought and made indecent images of girls aged 14.

David Mortimer, 58, of Brookhill Road, Barnet, was convicted on Thursday (September 5) of making indecent images of children following a National Crime Agency investigation and a four-day trial at Kingston Crown Court.

Officers seized his laptop which contained a 30-minute long Category A – the most serious category- sexual abuse video of a south east Asian girl.

Analysis of the laptop showed file-sharing software used to download titles indicative of child abuse during February 20 and February 21, 2018.

His laptop and mobile telephone showed conversation between Mr Mortimer and others about him seeking girls as young as 14.

Mr Mortimer, a retired Metropolitan Police officer who worked in the force for 30 years, argued that he was trying to gather evidence of child abuse for the police.

Brent Lyon, NCA operations manager, said: “Mortimer and men like him are perpetuating the horrific abuse of children the world over. His sick sexual interest in children fuels other offenders to carry out more and more contact abuse.

“Behind every image is a child whose life has been utterly devastated by their abuse and men like Mortimer are directly responsible for it.

“As an ex-police officer, his betrayal is all the worse.”

He is due to be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on October 3, 2019.