Overview

• Mark Ling, a former Essex Police officer, admitted to 12 counts of sexual communication with minors and one count of incitement to sexual activity involving girls aged 12 to 14.
• Using his nine-year-old daughter's phone, Ling created fake personas on TikTok and Snapchat, exploiting a viral 'loyalty test' trend to manipulate victims into sending explicit images.
• Ling was sentenced to 4½ years in prison, reduced from seven years due to his guilty plea and lack of previous convictions, and is subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and sex offender registration.
• Victims reported severe emotional and social harm, including distrust of law enforcement, as Ling's actions were described as a gross abuse of his position of trust as a police officer.
• Essex Police's internal investigation into Ling's conduct remains ongoing, with leadership emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy on officer misconduct and a commitment to protecting women and girls.