Disgraced cop jailed for a year for filming couple having sex and naked sunbathers

Adrian Pogmore, aged 51, used a hi-tech camera kit - which can spot a licence plate two miles away - to spy on female genitalia to 'advance his sexual curiosities' over a five year period, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

The officer, who has since been sacked, recorded a couple he knew from South Yorkshire's wife swapping scene having sex on their patio.

The court heard air controller Pogmore later handed the couple a DVD of his footage.

The disgraced cop also used his powerful lens to focus on a nude mum-of-three and her teenage daughters sun bathing in their garden.

Jailing Pogmore for 12 months, Judge Peter Kelson, QC, told him: "You were a rogue policeman acting in the South Yorkshire Air support generally.

"So strong were your sexual urges you were willing to undertaken the substantial risks of being detected by your colleagues.

"You quite literally found yourself above the law.

"These were serious matters - you spied and recorded these naked people from 1,000 feet.

"You used a £2 million helicopter to advance your own sexual curiosities when it should have been detecting crime."

Pogmore, of Guilthwaite Crescent, Whiston, Rotherham, admitted four counts misconduct in a public office including filming naked people without their consent and observing and recording people performing sexual acts.

The charges related to four alleged incidents between 2007 and 2012 - one on August 23 2007, two incidents on July 28 2008, and one incident on July 22 2012.

The court heard that after being shown the footage, one victim felt 'sickened' and another said she had 'lost faith' in the police force.

Another victim said: "If you can't trust the police - who can you trust?"

Pogmore, who was a police officer for 22 years, had no previous convictions.

His tapes were found in a drawer at Maltby police station.

Before sending Pogmore down for 12 months, Judge Kelson said: "Without the thin blue line this country would fall into anarchy.

"But you have grossly invaded the privacy of individuals and grossly misused expensive police equipment for a five year period."

Deputy Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, Mark Roberts, said: "This kind of behaviour by an officer is completely unacceptable, and the outcome for Mr Pogmore is consistent with the decision we took in 2015 to dismiss him from the service."