Facing jail, the police predator who used a cadet scheme as his own personal 'grooming playground'

To the outside world, Adnan 'Adz' Ali was a respected police officer who had overcome his own demons to become a mentor to young wannabe cops.

He was trusted by parents and the teenagers who enrolled on the police cadet scheme he led from Stretford police station for Greater Manchester Police.

But public perception masked a terrible truth - the officer who had Superman emblazoned on his leader’s hoodie and underpants was using the Trafford Volunteer Cadet Scheme as his own 'grooming playground', touching his charges inappropriately, sometimes kissing them and on two occasions sending them a picture of his penis.

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Today (Monday) Ali, 36, from Old Trafford, was finally exposed as a predator after a jury convicted him of a series of sex assaults as well as misconduct in public office.

The verdicts also prompted an apology from GMP which admitted it could have done more to stop Ali, yet another police officer who used his position to satisfy their sexual desires. The police watchdog concluded there had been 'serious failings' in the way the cadet scheme was supervised by senior bosses.

A jury at Liverpool Crown Court took just under four hours to unanimously convict Ali of 15 offences of misconduct and five offences of sexual assault.

Sacked by GMP last year and banned from returning to policing, his reputation is now in tatters and he was warned that he could be jailed when he returns to court to be sentenced.

Ali, of Leighton Road, Old Trafford, showed no response when the jury of eight women and four men returned their verdicts nor when addressed by the judge. His parents, who regularly attended each day of the four week trial, were again in the