The plea hearing for a serving officer for Essex Police who has been charged with a string of child sex offences has been delayed until January.

Thirty-eight-year-old Mark Ling, of Ipswich, was arrested in September and appeared before Suffolk Magistrates' Court in October, where he was charged with multiple counts of sexual interactions with girls under the age of 16.

The findings followed an investigation and Ling was charged with eight counts of sexual communications with a child, two counts of cyberflashing, and one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. 

He appeared before Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday, initially to give his plea, but due to work remaining for officers from the Crown Prosecution Service to get the evidence ready his plea hearing date has been pushed back to January 17. 

The crown has also set up a provisional trial date for April 28, which it expects would last for two weeks.

Ling has been suspended and the matter has been referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct.