A FORMER North Yorkshire Police special constable has pleaded guilty to child sex offences.

Ryan John McCaffrey, 33, of Catterick Garrison, who was also a self-employed photographer, was sentenced at York Crown Court yesterday for eight offences: six counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possession of prohibited images of children, and one count of possession of extreme pornography.

His crimes were committed between June 2018 and June 2019.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “Child sexual offences causes grave harm to innocent victims. Behind every indecent image is a child who has suffered abuse and exploitation and the making, possession or sharing of these images is the most abhorrent of crimes.

“McCaffrey has also let down the policing family. Nothing short of the highest integrity is tolerated in North Yorkshire Police and those who commit crimes of this nature, no matter who they are, will always be pursued and put in front of the courts.”

McCaffrey received a 12 months suspended sentence, a five year sexual harm prevention order and a 40 days rehabilitation order.