A POLICE officer contacted prostitutes and filmed himself carrying out a sex act in a police station while on duty.

Police Constable Luke Smith sent a woman the videos he had filmed, and looked up details about another woman on police computers.

The 34-year-old, of Eversley Road, Bexhill, has now been sacked from Sussex Police and jailed, after pleading guilty to misconduct in public office and getting personal data from police systems.

Jailing him at Lewes Crown Court on Friday, Judge Charles Kemp said Smith engaged in a relationship over a four-year period with one of the prostitutes and sent text messages and videos of himself carrying out a sex act in his capacity as a police officer.

He said: "You used police systems to obtain details of another female when she had complained to the police about an incident. This was not for a lawful, policing purpose. You accepted this in your second interview."

He added: "If were not for these matters, you could have looked forward to a long career in the police service - you have thrown that all away. You have said that you feel ashamed.

"There is a very real tragedy of the consequences of your actions for you and your family."

Smith was suspended when the allegations came to light and sacked from the force during a disciplinary hearing held in his absence on March 31, where he was found guilty of gross misconduct.

Deputy Chief Constable Robin Smith said the ex-officer had tarnished the name of the force and "abjectly failed the people of Sussex who put their trust in us".

He added: "No employer anywhere can be absolutely certain that the person they interview, vet and employ will not at some point prove a major disappointment to them, but when it does happen we will respond openly and honestly about the action we have taken."

Chief constable Giles York said Luke Smith had an "enviable" working record having played a key role in murder, kidnap and stabbing investigations.

But he added the public must be able to trust police to behave properly and handle sensitive information, and Smith had "failed in both of these tests".