A 26-year-old Ipswich man who downloaded more than 1,000 “utterly repellent” images and videos of children, including babies, being sexually abused has been given a suspended prison sentence 

Sentencing Joseph Swift, Judge Emma Peters described the images and videos as some of the most “disgusting and repellent” the court had come across.

She said that some of the babies being abused by adult males were only weeks old.

She said Swift had become addicted to pornography during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown and and had led a “sick and twisted"  life on the internet. 

Ipswich Crown Court heard that police went to Swift's home after receiving information from the National Crime Agency that an indecent image had been uploaded to the internet via Snapchat.

When his devices were examined he was found to have downloaded 490 indecent images and 230 videos in the most serious level A category, 480 images and 50 videos in category B and 200 images in the least serious level C category.

Swift, of Cromwell Square, Ipswich, admitted three offences of making indecent images of children and two offences of distributing indecent images of children.

In addition to being given a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years, he was given a 12-month mental health treatment order, a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement and ordered to take part in 40 sessions of a sex offenders’ treatment programme and to do 240 hours of unpaid work.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for the same period.

He was also ordered to pay £350 costs.

Joanne Eley, for Swift, said her client had been sent the indecent images and videos and had shared them with a small group of like minded people.

She said he had been excited by the knowledge that what he was doing was illegal.

She said he was very remorseful and had written a letter to the court apologising for what he’d done.

Miss Eley said Swift had made efforts to address his offending and had restricted his access to the internet.