Adam McManus admitted three charges when he appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on 9 January 2026.
The court heard how the 40-year-old first contacted the undercover officer on the Kik instant messaging app in January 2025.
During the initial communication, the decoy told McManus the child’s age and that she was a first-year pupil at a high school in Airdrie.
Over the course of almost a month, he repeatedly asked for images of the child, made sexual remarks and quizzed her about her sexual experiences.
McManus also sent images to the decoy account of his lap and a pair of underwear on the floor.
Police traced the messages back to McManus and discovered he was working as a response officer at Cumbernauld Police Station.
Officers searched his home in February 2025 and seized his mobile phone.
A forensic examination found the messages he had sent, as well as illegal images and videos that showed the abuse of children.
A total of 79 indecent images were found alongside 25 videos, ranging from category A to C.
Investigators discovered McManus had also engaged in a Kik conversation with another user discussing how they would abuse children.
His overall offending took place between August 2023 and February 2025.
McManus was caught as part of Police Scotland’s Operation Overview - a covert programme to identify those involved in online child sexual abuse and exploitation.
On 2 March 2026, at the same court, McManus was jailed for 12 months.
He has been added to the sex offenders register for 10 years.
Procurator Fiscal Helen Nisbet said: “Adam McManus believed he was sending sexually indecent messages to a 12‑year‑old child.
“The fact that he committed this crime while working as a police officer is a shocking breach of the trust placed in him by the public.
“His criminal conduct, which included the possessing child abuse images and videos, posed a real risk to the safety and welfare of young people.
“COPFS will take action to keep children safe and make sure offenders are held responsible for their actions, no matter what job they do.”