A serving Metropolitan police officer is facing jail after he admitted downloading child porn.

Christopher Exley, 33, of Woodmill Road, Upper Clapton scoured the internet for indecent images of young children while serving in the Met’s Special Operations division, which covers protection of the Royal Family.

He admitted four counts of possessing child porn at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, and could now face a prison sentence.

Exley’s illegal stash of pictures was found on his computer when his home was raided in February.

He admitted having 53 indecent images, including 11 at level four, which includes deliberately posed sexually suggestive pictures of children, fully clothed, partially clothed or naked.

Exley has been suspended from his duties since his arrest and now faces the sack.

He was due to stand trial on Monday, but the prosecution accepted his guilty pleas to four charges of making indecent images of children.

No evidence was offered against him in respect of a charge of arranging sex with a boy, which he denied. He was freed on bail on the condition he stays away from children until a sentencing hearing on January 14.