Detectives hunting a sex pervert on the Isle of Sheppey were featured on a harrowing television programme last night .

Cameras followed the officers as they raided the home of Andrew Groombridge as part of Undercover Police: Hunting Paedophiles on Channel 4.

He had been asking young girls to send him indecent pictures of themselves on the internet. He was arrested in his bedroom and all his electronic devices were confiscated.

During an interview at a police station he told officers he messaged more than 100 girls a week and said "two or three" replied. He then broke down in tears.

Groombridge was later found guilty of 10 charges of child sexual exploitation at Canterbury Crown Court and jailed for eight years.

Another case featured the arrest of Martin Latimer who thought he was going to meet a 13-year-old girl called Kiera for sex. But it was a sting set up by undercover cops. Latimer was sent to prison for three years.

A camera crew spent months embedded with Kent Police's Paedophile Online Investigation Team and colleagues in Essex to get the harrowing footage. The three-part series began last week when police were shown tracking down a pervert in Margate.

Kent's Chief Constable Alan Pughsley, who is also the National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Undercover Policing, said: "First and foremost this documentary should serve as a warning to parents and guardians about the dangers to children and vulnerable people using chat forums and other online services unsupervised.

"If, as a result of this important and impressive piece of film making, just one potential victim is safeguarded then it has been a success."

He added: "These programmes shine a light on an extremely complex and sensitive area of policing. I'm very proud of my officers who are featured, they are often exposed to some unimaginable things and then carry out their work with a great sense of purpose and courage."

Filming began in March 2018.

Alisa Pomeroy, Channel 4's senior documentary commissioning editor, said: "The extraordinary level of access given to us by Kent Police provides a new appreciation of the complex and vital work being done by undercover detectives as they go about searching for paedophiles operating online.

"With millions of children stuck at home and chatting online, it is our hope that this series is a powerful reminder of the very real dangers of online grooming by an increasing number of would-be sexual abusers."

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