Alan Saffery , 61 ( pictured ) , from Hereford , groomed and abused the young girl , who is now in her 40s , over a four-year period in the 1970s and 80s while he was serving as an officer with West Mercia Police . A retired police officer who groomed a 12-year-old girl to such an extent that he could 'help himself to her ' whenever he wanted , has been jailed for 12 years . Alan Saffery , 61 , groomed and abused the young girl , who is now aged in her 40s , over a four-year period while he was serving as an officer with West Mercia Police . Worcester Crown Court heard how the offences only came to light after being reported to police by the woman , who can not be named for legal reasons , during a separate investigation . Saffery , from Hereford , Herefordshire , has now been convicted of six counts of indecent assault and two counts of sex with a girl under the age of 13 following a trial . He was jailed for 12 years for the historical sex offences , which took place in the 1970s and 1980s while the girl was aged between 12 and 15 , and shouted 'it 's all lies ' as he was taken to the cells following sentencing yesterday . The 'dangerous ' sexual predator , who served as an officer for more than 30 years , was also convicted of two allegations of having child pornography images on his computer in 2013 . He was cleared of two further charges of raping a second girl aged under 16 in 1986 . During sentencing , Judge Robert Juckes QC said Saffery had helped the girl to become 'infatuated ' with him and groomed her so he could 'help himself to her ' whenever the opportunity arose . He added : 'Your job was to protect members of the community , not to abuse them . ' The court heard Saffery groomed and repeatedly assaulted the victim while he was in his 20s and a serving police officer . In a police video played to the jury , the victim said Saffery would take 'every chance ' to engage in sexual activity with her . She said : 'He would say nice things . He would tell me I was lovely and beautiful . ' A little girl would be flattered by that . ' I had a teenage crush on him . I was infatuated by him . ' The jury were told they first had sex when she was 12-years-old and it stopped when she was 15-years-old with her realisation that the 'relationship ' was wrong . Saffery , 61 , who served as a police officer for more than 30 years , was jailed for 12 years at Worcester Crown Court ( pictured ) for six counts of indecent assault and two counts of sex with a girl under the age of 13 . But giving evidence , Saffery said he only had 'consensual ' sex with the victim once at his home when she was aged 16 . Detective Inspector Richard Rees , from West Mercia Police , said after the case : 'Outwardly , Saffery was a respected police officer and an upstanding member of the community . 'However , behind closed doors he was a dangerous sexual predator who took advantage of a young girl . 'Today his past has caught up with him . ' Saffery retired as one of West Mercia Police 's longest serving officers in 2002 , with two commendations having tackled an armed robbery and surviving being stabbed .
mark regularly groomed young girl over a four - year period in 1970s and 80s . He was serving as police officer at time and would ' introduce himself ' to the police . Victim , now aged in her 40s , was just 12-years - old when he started abuse . Saffery jailed for 12 months after being convicted of historic sexual offences . 61-year - old shouted ' it 's all lies ' as he was led to cells awaiting sentencing .