A POLICE officer who has been warned he’ll face a ‘torrid time’ in prison after being jailed for possessing child sex abuse images.

Ex-Nelson PC Andrew Moore, 30, started accessing adult porn, then more ‘risque sites’, before ‘curiosity got the better of him’ and he looked at indecent images of children, a court heard.

Prosecutor Paula Grogan said he was arrested last November when Lancashire Police received information, including Moore’s name, from another force’s investigation.

One broken laptop was found in his boot and another in his bedroom, containing a total of 82 images from levels one to four.

Moore, who was living in Barrowford at the time, resigned 11 days after his arrest and pleaded guilty to eight counts of possession of indecent images of children.

Joanne Stephens, defending Moore, said her client had moved from Bradford to East Lancashire in November 2006 to start a new career in the police. But living alone and working shifts left him ‘lonely’.

Moore had not downloaded or distributed the images, said Ms Stephens.

She added: “He does understand a market is created and children harmed in the creation of these images. He is ashamed and remorseful.”

Chairman of the bench Ian Lomax said: “There would not be an industry if people were not viewing these images.

“This is clearly aggravated by the fact you were a serving police officer whose job is to protect the public, not exploit them.

“I am aware your time in custody will be a torrid one being a former police officer.”

Moore was jailed for eight months and has to sign the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

A 10-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from internet or computer use unless for legitimate purposes was imposed.

After the case, Detective Superintendent Martyn Leveridge from the Professional Standards Department said: “The public quite rightly expect that all employees of Lancashire Constabulary maintain the highest possible standards of professional behaviour.

“This officer has let himself, his colleagues and the Constabulary down by his actions.”

that we take very seriously.”