The report from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary highlighted the case of rapist Ian Naude (pictured) who preyed on his 13-year-old victim while a police constable in Cheshire

Hundreds of police officers have been accused of exploiting crime victims for sex by pretending to be 'knights in shining armour.'

A total of 415 allegations have been made against officers for 'abusing their position for a sexual purpose' in three years, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary said.

Suspects, victims of crime, children, witnesses and vulnerable people are some of those who were exploited.

Inspector of Constabulary Zoe Billingham told the Daily Star: 'Too often their abuser plays the role of the saviour in policing. They play the role of the knight in shining armour.

'There is no agreed way of passing soft intelligence between forces at the moment of transfer.'

She added that most of the predatory officers 'run before they are caught' and move from the force they are in to another force when a complaint is put forward.

Her comments came as it was found that tens of thousands of police officers and staff are working without up-to-date vetting clearance which could identify sexual predators.

The report from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary highlighted the case of rapist Ian Naude who preyed on his 13-year-old victim while a police constable in Cheshire.

Hundreds of police officers have been accused of exploiting crime victims for sex by pretending to be 'knights in shining armour' (file image)

Naude, 30, was not vetted when he transferred into Cheshire Police from another force, despite being a suspect in grooming allegations probed by Staffordshire and West Mercia Police.

'Had those other leads been followed, it's possible that he would not have been a police officer,' Ms Billingham told a press briefing. 'He joined the police to gain the keys to the sweet shop.'

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners said it would working with chief constable to ensure more is done to tackle sexual abuse.