A 64-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years and ten months in prison for a number of child sex offences.

Michael Stephen Lewis, from Deal Street, Northampton, was convicted after police officers from Northamptonshire Police's Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders (MOSOVO) Team discovered indecent images of children on his computer during an unannounced visit on September 13, 2021.

Lewis was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which required him to allow unannounced visits from the police. Officers suspected encryption software on Lewis' custom-built computer and seized his devices for examination.

A total of 115 indecent images of children were found, including 47 Category A images - the most serious category. Lewis was also in possession of extreme pornographic images involving animals and a prohibited image of a child.

Lewis pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child, one count of possessing extreme pornographic images involving animals, one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child, one count of breaching his SHPO and one count of failing to comply with notification requirements.

Lead investigator PC Carl Gardner from the Force's MOSOVO Team said: "I am pleased to see Michael Lewis sent to prison for nearly eight years for these very serious offences, and I hope it shows our local communities just how seriously we take these types of cases."

"Registered sex offenders like Lewis are very closely managed by our team and we regularly show up at their homes, day and night, to ensure they are abiding by their conditions. Any breaches are dealt with robustly and with an approach of zero-tolerance."

"The images found on Lewis' computer were abhorrent and by ensuring that he returns to prison, we are keeping the public in this county safe.

"We will continue working hard to ensure more people like him also find themselves behind bars."