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A former police officer jailed for downloading child porn is facing jail after admitting forcing a 12-year-old girl to pose naked for photographs.

Gary McBride, 45, quit the force when he was arrested for a string of disturbing offences in 2004.

He was handed nine months behind bars after visiting chatrooms and downloading and sharing 40 images of children being sexually abused.

Last month appeared at Liverpool Crown Court where he admitted grooming a girl, before engaging in sexual activity with her in February.

McBride, of Greenfield Road, Old Swan, also admitted two breaches of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, made when he was sentenced in 2005.

The balding pervert, heavily built and wearing a grey sweatshirt in the dock, spoke only to confirm his name and address and enter his pleas.

(Image: Google Maps)

He denied a further offence of abducting the girl, which was ordered to lie on the file, reports the Liverpool Echo.

The court heard that when arrested for his latest offences, McBride said he did not know or suspect that the girl was under the age of 13.

Judge Andrew Menary, QC, asked what age the former police officer thought she was.

Nicholas Archer, defending, said that McBride claimed she had told him she was 18.

Mr Archer said: “Certainly he didn’t know she was that young, but he knew she was underage.”

Under further questioning by the judge, Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, said: “My understanding is that she looks her age.

"There could be no misapprehension that she was 16, 17, or anything of the like.”

McBride, previously of William Morris Avenue, Bootle, was remanded in custody to await sentence today.

In 2005 the court heard McBride developed an interest in indecent images of children while he was a serving constable but resigned on the day he was arrested.

When he was working for the police, McBride was involved in investigating serious gangland crime in Liverpool.