Used his IT skills to find, download and hide child abuse images picked up on the dark web, including rape and torture videos of babies.

Former Ministry of Defence worker Phillip Nutt, 53, was jailed for 16 months after admitting to possessing, making, and distributing indecent images of children.

Nutt, who worked from home during the COVID-19 lockdown, used his IT skills to access and hide child abuse images, including rape and torture videos of babies, on the dark web. He even boasted about his methods in online chatrooms.

In one conversation, Nutt explained how he had "everything secured" and used a "false camera storage" to conceal the disturbing content. He also lamented the lack of access to children during lockdown, writing: "I usually walk past a school on the way to work and I can't even do that!"

When police raided his home in Horfield, Bristol, they discovered nearly 300 indecent images and videos on his devices. They also uncovered cloud-based accounts that held over 18,000 files, including a folder labelled "Incest" containing hundreds of videos showing the abuse of young children.

Nutt's sophisticated methods of hiding his crimes were revealed through digital forensic analysis, which showed he regularly accessed the dark web and used a calculator app as a front for his secure image storage.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) arrested Nutt at a holiday home in Cornwall last year and praised the work of officers in disrupting this cycle of abuse.

Derek Evans, NCA senior investigating officer, said: "The conviction of Nutt serves as a warning to all - that we will work with partners across the globe to safeguard children and bring offenders before the court."

"This investigation identified the horrendous rape of babies and very young children, which was being distributed by Nutt, who attempted to conceal his methods through sophisticated means and his knowledge of IT systems."

"For as long as the demand for this material remains in depraved people like Nutt, it will continue to be supplied. This investigation has broken part of that cycle and the NCA have succeeded in disrupting someone who posed a significant threat to children."