A man from Honiton has been sent on a sex offenders’ treatment course after being found with more what 1,600 child abuse images.

Tyler Winters had downloaded images or movies including some which showed acts of bestiality, incest, and young children in apparent distress.

He had been searching for and accessing the material for nine years before he was traced by police in August 2020 and the images were found on his phone and a hard drive.

Some depicted very young children being abused and 293 fell into the worst category, which is defined as children suffering penetrative acts.

Winters, aged 38, of Dove Close, Honiton, admitted three counts of possessing indecent images of children and was jailed for two years, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid community work by Judge Anna Richardson at Exeter Crown Court.

He was ordered to do 40 days of rehabilitation activities, which will include a 30 day Maps for Change course and to pay £425 costs.

He was put on the sex offenders register and made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which allows the police to monitor his use of the internet. Both orders will last ten years.

The judge told him: “The images included familial abuse, bestiality and images of suffering and there was evidence of deliberate searching. You also used forensic software to prevent your browser history being visible.

“There was evidence of interaction with others online. The aggravating features are the very young age of some of the children, the fact some were in distress or pain, and the length of period over which you obtained the images.

“You made admissions and I have read about your remorse and shame in the pre-sentence report although you  have demonstrated an unwillingness to accept any ongoing sexual interest in children.”

The court was told that a warrant was executed on August 2, 2020 and a phone and hard drive seized by police. Analysis showed 293 still or moving images at the worst category A, 525 at B, and 855 at C with the majority showing children under ten.

Mr Stephen Nunn, defending, said Winters has already taken a major step forward by admitting these offences and is keen to work with probation to ensure he never reoffends. He has been assessed as a good prospect for rehabilitation.