An online sex offender from Essex has been jailed for five-and-a-half years.
Colin Grant, 48, came to the attention of Essex Police in May 2016 after the force received intelligence.
Officers then raided his home address, in Leaden Close, Leaden Roding, after getting a warrant.
Grant admitted 13 counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two of causing a child to watch a sexual act, one of distributing indecent images, and two of making indecent images of children at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday, November 24.
Grant was jailed and made the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order by the court.
Det con Sam Petken, investigating officer from Essex Police’s Online Investigation Team, said: “This was clearly a very disturbing case and I am pleased he has been brought to justice for his reprehensible behaviour.
“Grant initially told police that he had nothing to say, but later admitted that he had accessed a small number of indecent images of children and spoken to others online in 2016 with the intention of gathering intelligence, and passing this on to police and law enforcement agencies.
“Checks proved he had never attempted to alert us to any indecent images.
“This was an extensive and complex investigation, which uncovered the most monstrous abuse of children.
“At times he portrayed a teenage girl on Skype, and asked for sexually explicit pictures of people who identified themselves as teenage boys.
“I feel that this just goes to show how careful people need to be on the internet these days and why it is important that parents and children alike understand the need for internet safety.
“Whatever had been happening in Grant’s life, nothing excuses actively seeking content of children being abused for sexual gratification.”
The court also heard that a large number of the indecent image and movie files found on a device at Grant’s home detailed live and ongoing sexual abuse towards a particular child by an individual that Grant was in contact with.
The abuse of this child, who has been identified and safeguarded, took place in Australia. A man has been arrested in connection with this
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