A Finchley Flying Squad police officer from Potters Bar is facing years in jail after he admitted trying to groom a 12-year-old girl for sex.

Detective Constable Glenn Algar, 44, a married father with 25 years' police experience, met the girl on the internet before bombarding her with text messages on a daily basis. But the girl' he was trying to meet was actually a fellow Scotland Yard police officer posing as a child.

Peter Zinner, prosecuting, told Southwark Crown court last Thursday: "His behaviour was that of someone who was sexually obsessed with children."

Algar, who worked for the Flying Squad at Finchley police station, in Ballards Lane, is said to have contacted the girl' after viewing a picture supposedly of her on the internet. Algar was offered her mobile phone number and called it immediately.

Addressing her as baby' and darling' he sent the girl' messages early in the morning and late at night, telling her age doesn't matter' as he arranged for them to meet and have sex. The detective also sent ten hardcore pornographic films to her via mobile telephone.

When he was arrested at Colindale police station, the headquarters of Barnet police, Algar vehemently denied the accusations claiming he thought he was participating in a role-play with a consenting adult who was pretending to be a young girl. He later admitted the charge when he was on remand at Wandsworth Prison.

After his arrest, police seized his computer and laptop and discovered a small library of hardcore child pornography. One of the pictures was of a sadistic act being carried out on a child. In all police found 168 indecent images of children.

Algar is to be sentenced on March 8. Grooming a child for sex carries a maximum 15 years in prison.

Algar admitted one count of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, ten of trying to incite a child to view indecent material, six of making indecent images of underage girls and one of possessing 168 indecent images.

The charges relate to the period from June 15 to November 18 last year.

Algar's wife was in court to hear him plead guilty to the charges.

At a previous hearing Mr Zinner opposed bail, saying there were substantial grounds for believing Algar would continue to offend in this way if granted bail.

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