A former Met Police officer who worked in the force's sex crime unit has been sentenced after he admitted downloading indecent images of children.
Det Con Paul Allgood, 60, was convicted of having images of children, 32 described as the worst kind, after they were discovered on his laptop.
He had also pleaded guilty to filming a schoolgirl, aged 13 or 14, in an upskirting incident.
Allgood was given a 22-month prison term, suspended for two years.
The former detective had specialised in investigating sex offences before working in economic crime.
During sentencing at Wood Green Crown Court, Judge Kaly Kaul QC said Allgood had not used his position as an officer to commit the crimes, but added: "You have by your conduct let down every single officer in the Metropolitan Police.
"You worked with those men and women and know, particularly through your work with that unit, how many officers dedicate their lives to protecting the vulnerable from abuse and degradation."
After he was spared jail, Allgood asked to address the court and said through tears: "I have been here a lot. All the staff and all the judges, particularly those that maybe they are retired, I just wish to apologise to everybody."
The court heard how his Enfield home was raided on 4 June 2019 and Allgood initially blamed his family members when illegal pictures and videos were found on his laptop and other devices.
The officer had given notice of his resignation from the Met having been suspended since January, the court heard.
