Jamie Morrison, 33, told the probation officer who compiled his pre-sentence report that the constable in Thames Valley Police’s public protection unit was his ‘only friend’ – and felt he had ‘let him down’ by committing more child sex offences.

Imposing an extended sentence of 46 months’ imprisonment and a further 14 months on licence, Judge Ian Pringle KC said: “You’ve got to understand, Mr Morrison, that you’ve got to cease doing these things, if for no other reason [than] you’ll let the person down who was supervising you and who you regard as your friend.”

Police were tipped off last April that Morrison had been looking at indecent images of children.

Officers visited him at home on April 11, when they found that the tip-off was true and he had been accessing and distributing the illegal material.

He was also found to have been in touch with what he thought was a nine-year-old girl.

In fact, the ‘child’ was a Denmark-based adult pretending to be a girl online.

Morrison, of Luther Street, Oxford, pleaded guilty at earlier hearings to breaching his sexual harm prevention order, making and distributing indecent images, and attempted sexual communication with a child.

He has numerous previous convictions for looking at indecent images of children online.

On Friday (January 27), Judge Pringle – who jailed him himself in 2017 – described his criminal record as ‘unenviable’.

“I have come to the conclusion you are a danger and an extended sentence in court case is appropriate,” the judge said.

The total length of Morrison’s sentence is five years, comprising a 46 month immediate jail term followed by an extended 14 months on licence and under the supervision of the probation service.

He will serve two-thirds of the jail term behind bars before being eligible for release.

However, he is liable to be recalled at any time, meaning he could serve the full five year sentence in prison.