Paedophile returned to jail after police find hundreds of child abuse images on phone

A paedophile has been returned to prison after police turned up at his home unannounced and found hundreds of child abuse images on his phone.

David Haley, 40, had previously been sentenced to more than six years in jail in 2015 for a sexual assault and other offences relating to indecent images of children.

After he was released he was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order requiring him to make his devices available for inspection on request by police.

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Despite the risk, he carried on sharing hundreds of child sex abuse images after he was let out of prison, and used an online alias called 'Amy', which he used to fantasise about abusing children with other users.

Haley also used apps on his phone to send and receive messages and images and set them to delete after viewing.

Officers made the discovery when they turned up at his home in Marden, Kent, on 5 September last year to examine his phone.

Haley pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and two counts of possessing extreme pornographic images when he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court.

He also admitted breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and failing to comply with a notification requirement related to the sex offenders register.

Haley was sentenced to four years in prison with an extended licence period of a further four years and will remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

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Police investigator Lee Sinden said: "Haley had been the subject of 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.

"In passing this extended sentence, the judge has recognised he poses a serious risk of further offences to children.

"Sexual Harm Prevention Orders are passed by the courts to help protect children and as this case shows, we will do everything we can to ensure those who ignore them face the consequences of their actions."