A COP who comforted Madeleine McCann's parents is being probed for allegedly sending filthy photos to a woman.

Portuguese detective Ricardo Paiva is accused of posting them over the internet to a 20-year-old Brit.

Married dad Paiva, in his 40s, is said to have responded after she contacted him about Madeleine's disappearance.

It is claimed he begged the woman — a blonde model — to send him a photo and allegedly replied with an obscene image of himself.

Paiva denies it was him and claims that 

someone hacked into his Facebook account.  

Last night his Polícia Judiciária force confirmed it was investigating and had seized his computer. A source said: "They are checking the possibility Paiva's Facebook page has been hacked." 

Inspector Paiva is also alleged to have leaked details of the bungled first police probe into Madeleine's disappearance to the model. 

Madeleine was nearly four when she was kidnapped from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on the Algarve in May 2007

Family liaison officer Paiva was the cop closest to her devastated parents Kate and Gerry in the following days. 

But he later clashed with the couple, both doctors of Rothley, Leics, who were made suspects. In her book "Madeleine", Kate told how Paiva went from being a trusted confidante to her main accuser.