Sex offender had 'paedophile manual' and 23,000 indecent images.

A convicted sex offender who possessed a paedophile manual and 23,000 images of children has been jailed.

Lewis Mortimer, 42, of Shortlands Road, Sittingbourne, was sentenced to five years in prison after being found with a stash of child abuse material. He had multiple previous convictions for child sex offences and was subject to court-ordered restrictions on his internet access.

These restrictions included notifying police of any internet-enabled devices he owned, along with details like online usernames, bank cards, and passport information. Despite these measures, Mortimer contacted two women online, claiming to be a photographer working with children.

In December 2019, one of the women reported Mortimer's online activities to the police. Months later, another woman reported that Mortimer had sent her images of child abuse. In April 2020, police arrested Mortimer at his home and seized a number of devices, including a tablet hidden in his bed.

During a search of his devices, officers found a file of indecent images, as well as pages from a so-called paedophile manual detailing how to groom and abuse victims. More than 23,000 images were found on his tablet, many of which were in the most extreme category.

Mortimer pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing images, four counts of possessing indecent images, possessing a paedophile manual, ten counts of breaching notification requirements, and seven counts of breaching a sexual offence prevention order.

He was sentenced on Friday at Maidstone Crown Court to five years in prison with an extended licence period of two years. Mortimer will remain on the sex offenders register for life.

Detective Sergeant Vicky Whitmill stated, "Mortimer was subject to strict measures designed to reduce the risk of him reoffending. He has been unable to adhere to these restrictions and has demonstrated a clear determination to access illegal and harmful images, many of which include the horrific abuse of children."

"Make no mistake, the material Mortimer deliberately sought and downloaded will have resulted from real victims suffering appalling abuse. He has a significant offending history and appears to have no understanding of the gravity of his actions. People like him must face the consequences and we will continue to do everything we can to ensure they are brought before the courts."