Lawyers to appeal against AFP officer's porn sentence

Lawyers for a former Australian Federal Police (AFP) officer are planning to appeal against his jail sentence for downloading child pornography.

Michael Edward Hatch, 38, was one of about 100 people arrested as part of Australia's biggest child pornography operation.

The Canberra man had nearly 30 sexually explicit images of young girls stored on his home computer.

Today in the ACT Magistrates Court, Hatch was sentenced to 14 months in jail, to be suspended after five months for good behaviour.

Magistrate Karen Fryar said Hatch has been subjected to ridicule and derision since his arrest, and had lost his career and reputation.

But she said a jail term was appropriate and would act as a deterrent to others.

Hatch's lawyers have filed an appeal against the sentence on the grounds that it is manifestly excessive.