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A police officer has admitted trying to blackmail a man suspected of possessing child abuse images by pretending to be from a paedophile hunting group.

South Yorkshire PC Marie Thompson sent the suspect an anonymous email in 2023 claiming to be from "Paedophile Hunters" and told him to pay £3,500 to "ensure that information stays between us".

The man reported the email contact to South Yorkshire Police, with Thompson, 29, subsequently recording the suspect did not want to pursue a complaint.

At Leeds Crown Court, Thompson, of Andover Street, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to blackmail and perverting the course of justice.

A Northumbria Police detective stalked her former partner and falsely accused him of being a paedophile and assaulting her.

Sue Thorpe, 46, also accused the man of cheating on her, sent abusive texts, voicemails and emails, tried to damage his surfing business and used the Police National Computer to look him up.

He said she had sought to ‘assassinate me both personally and professionally’, Newcastle Crown Court heard.