Immigration officer raped child

Police said Cosier had continual interaction with like-minded people

An immigration officer from Kent has pleaded guilty to raping a girl under the age of 13.

Paul Cosier, 51, of Deal, appeared at Canterbury Crown Court on Monday, where he also admitted 16 charges related to images of child abuse.

Police found he had 9,485 indecent images of children, including some of the "most serious nature".

Cosier, who was suspended from work after his arrest, was remanded in custody for sentencing at a later date.

The 16 charges relating to indecent images of children included three offences of taking images, two of making images, 10 of distribution, and one of possession.

Senior investigating officer Det Con Kay Sankey, from Kent Police, said: "Cosier distributed child abuse images, each representing a real child suffering real abuse.

"His continual interaction with other like-minded individuals and his ongoing discussions regarding the sexual abuse of children, eventually led him to commit a serious sexual assault on a vulnerable young child."