A DEVIANT paedophile has been jailed for three-and-a half years for seeking out and downloading indecent images of children.

Matthew Stokes, 28, accessed hundreds of indecent photographs and videos involving children as young as five.

The majority of images were downloaded whilst Stokes was serving a 15-month suspended prison sentence and subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order imposed in 2021 for identical offences, Bradford Crown Court heard.

They were discovered in August last year when his phone was examined during a meeting at Halifax Police Station. He was then arrested.

Stokes, who appeared via video link from HMP Nottingham, had previously pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, to possession of extreme images, to possession of prohibited images, and to a breach of the sexual harm prevention order.

Prosecutor Alisha Kaye said there had been a very serious and persistent breach of the order because 244 of the 318 images found on Stokes’ mobile phone had been accessed within a month of it being put in place.

She said: “He has deliberately sought out individuals who can supply the type of material that the sexual harm prevention order terms deliberately prevented him from seeking.

“It shows a sheer lack of compliance with the order, and clear determination by this defendant.”

She added: “The prosecution cannot ignore the very serious harm that is caused of course to the children to create these images for this defendant, and for those who seek these types of images.”

In sentencing Stokes His Honour Judge Jonathan Rose described his behaviour as “quite revolting”.

He added: “The prospect of children as young as five being sexually abused … horrifies any decent-thinking member of the public.”

He jailed Stokes, Coopers Close in Halifax, for 42 months in total – three-and-a-half years – and imposed a new 10-year sexual harm prevention order starting from February 9, 2024.