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| Retired Cornwall PC found with child sex images | Retired Cornwall PC found with child sex images |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A retired police officer whose role involved protecting children from abuse was found in possession of indecent images of children as young as six. | A retired police officer whose role involved protecting children from abuse was found in possession of indecent images of children as young as six. |
| Robert Branney, formerly of Devon and Cornwall Police, said he was addicted to the images, and also admitted having an image of a sex act with a dog. | Robert Branney, formerly of Devon and Cornwall Police, said he was addicted to the images, and also admitted having an image of a sex act with a dog. |
| The 69-year-old has been handed an eight-month suspended jail sentence at Truro Crown Court. | The 69-year-old has been handed an eight-month suspended jail sentence at Truro Crown Court. |
| Judge Christopher Harvey Clark said he had brought shame on his family. | Judge Christopher Harvey Clark said he had brought shame on his family. |
| Read more on this story and more from across the region | |
| The judge him asked how he could "sink so low" and said he should leave the court "with your head bowed in shame". | The judge him asked how he could "sink so low" and said he should leave the court "with your head bowed in shame". |
| Branney, of Treverbyn Gardens, St Austell, Cornwall, admitted possessing indecent images of children, making an indecent image, and possessing an extreme image portraying a sexual act with an animal. | Branney, of Treverbyn Gardens, St Austell, Cornwall, admitted possessing indecent images of children, making an indecent image, and possessing an extreme image portraying a sexual act with an animal. |
| Visited chat rooms | Visited chat rooms |
| The court heard Branney had been a police officer for 28 years, and spent four years working in child protection, helping to protect children from sexual abuse from adults. | The court heard Branney had been a police officer for 28 years, and spent four years working in child protection, helping to protect children from sexual abuse from adults. |
| Nigel Hall, prosecuting, said Branney, who retired in 2001, had "too much time on his hands". | Nigel Hall, prosecuting, said Branney, who retired in 2001, had "too much time on his hands". |
| As well as viewing the images, he visited chat rooms to talk to other offenders before his arrest in August last year. | As well as viewing the images, he visited chat rooms to talk to other offenders before his arrest in August last year. |
| When police visited him, Branney said "I know why you're here". | When police visited him, Branney said "I know why you're here". |
| The officers said "why?" and he replied "child pornography". | The officers said "why?" and he replied "child pornography". |
| Police inspected his laptop computer and found four of the most severe category A images, a category A film and 36 category C images. | Police inspected his laptop computer and found four of the most severe category A images, a category A film and 36 category C images. |
| He told police he "dreamt of getting rid of it all" but it was like an addiction. | He told police he "dreamt of getting rid of it all" but it was like an addiction. |