A perverted former Kent police officer has been given a 26-year extended jail sentence for exploiting a vulnerable teenager for sex.

Mark Lindow - known on social media as 'BritishBobby50' - was convicted of rape by a jury at Maidstone Crown Court in September and was told he still posed a danger to the public.

The 61-year-old was given a 21-year immediate jail term and the judge added a further five years which will be served on licence when he is released - which wont be for at least 14 years.

A second man, Kurt Baker, 39, was also found guilty of three rapes on the same victim - as part of a twisted "quid pro quo" agreement between the two men. He received a jail sentence of 12 years.

Baker was identified after police made a public appeal after releasing pictures of his unique tattoo.

Judge Julian Smith told them: "These are grave offences. I watched this girl give evidence and it is evident she was profoundly vulnerable but along with others Lindow took part in her brutalisation and exploitation.

"They didn't see her as a human being but just an opportunity to exploit her.

"She was deliberately targeted by Lindow. He used her and filmed himself before making her available to Baker. He knew what he was getting involved in."

After being convicted in September Baker was led towards the cells but turned and screamed threats at Lindow who was then protected by a security guard in the dock.

The jury heard that between 2001 and 2015, Lindow was employed as a policeman and received training in community awareness, personal responsibility, respect for race and diversity and community and customer focus.

They convicted Lindow, of Grasmere Gardens, Folkestone, on the rape charges and distributing illegal pictures.

He admitted two charges of making indecent photographs and was acquitted of one charge.

The court was closed to the public twice while three brief videos of the vile rapes were shown to the jury who had been warned they were "extremely graphic".

Prosecutor Daniel Stevenson said the youngster had been the victim of child sexual exploitation at the hands of individuals who have not been identified on social media app Kik.

'The teenager was blackmailed into performing sexual acts.'

"She was groomed into sending indecent photographs of herself to these individuals," he said.

"Following this, the teenager was blackmailed into performing sexual acts.

"She was required to download an application onto her mobile telephone through which the blackmailers could access her device, and they used this to further their blackmail," he revealed.

Baker, of Pankhurst Place, Gravesend, had denied the three rape allegations but was convicted by the jury.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

An NSPCC spokesperson said: "Lindow and Baker's victim was put through horrors no person should be subjected to, let alone a young teenager.

"It is of the utmost importance that she now receives the support she needs to move on from their sickening abuse.

"As this case shows, the internet often remains an unsafe space for children, providing the tools for offenders like Lindow to groom and abuse vulnerable young people.

"The NSPCC will continue to lobby the government to ensure the proposed Online Safety Bill is not only robust and effective, but has the safety of children at its heart."