A DETECTIVE involved in bringing a former policeman to justice after he arranged to meet several underage boys in order to rape them has spoken of his relief that he was “unable to live out his fantasies”.

Christopher Cuthbertson was arrested at Strensham Services, near Worcester, expecting to meet another male adult who he believed would allow him to have sex with a 12-year-old boy called ‘Sam’.

This turned out to be a police sting and a subsequent analysis of the defendant’s phone found evidence of other such arranged meet-ups with real children, one as young as five.

Cuthbertson, 42, accepted 11 charges when appearing at Worcester Crown Court on Thursday (March 7), including possessing and sending indecent images, and was jailed for 13 years.

DCI Gavin Kinrade said: “We are delighted that Cuthbertson has been brought to justice.

“The significant sentence demonstrates the seriousness of the offences he has committed against some of the most vulnerable people in our community – our children.”

He said, even though Cuthbertson had attempted to incite a child to engage in sexual activity “the intervention of highly trained specialist officers meant that he was unable to live out his fantasies”.

“We are very pleased that he will now be in prison for a considerable length of time and when he is eventually released he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be closely monitored under Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements.”

Georgina Hewins, from the CPS, described it as a “shocking case” and commended police for the “quality of their investigation” which enabled charges that “reflect the severity of the offences”.

READ MORE: Ex-policeman jailed after arranging to rape children