A FORMER Gloucestershire police officer has been jailed following a sex offence against a 16-year-old girl.

Geoffrey Poole, 51, of Memorial Cottages, Coln St Aldwyns near Fairford, admitted having sexual intercourse with the girl between February 18 and March 20 last year.

At Gloucester Crown Court, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison and was told by Recorder Gregory Bull QC that his grooming of the young girl was the "most terrible breach of trust."

Mary Harley, prosecuting, said that the teenager had broken up with her boyfriend and had been feeling low shortly before Mr Poole began to exchange texts with her. The texts started to get flirtatious and then degenerated into sex conversations.

Mrs Harley said: "She would respond because she was enjoying the interest."

Between February 18 and March 20 last year Mr Poole and the 16-year-old arranged to meet in woodland near Kempsford, where they had full unprotected sex.

The court heard that the victim immediately regretted her decision, avoided any further contact with Mr Poole and told her parents.

She felt it only became sexual because Mr Poole had instigated it.

A statement from the victim said: "I feel sorry for my mum and dad, but not for him (Mr Poole). It makes me feel sick to think about what I’ve done."

Recorder Gregory Bull QC said Mr Poole was a man of exemplary character in the police force and was a happy family man that was not likely to re-offend.

But he added: "Nevertheless, in my judgement, young women like this should be protected when they are vulnerable to be groomed by men.

"I’m satisfied you had groomed this young girl. You knew she was a lonely young girl that had broken up from her boyfriend. You took advantage of her in circumstances where she could not object.

"That is the most terrible breach of trust."

Mr Poole, who is also a navy veteran and former commander of a naval training corps, will be registered as a sex offender for ten years and he has been given a lifetime ban from working with children.