Jailed: Telford paedophile caught with 16-minute video of two boys on his phone

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard how after his latest offending, police attended the 27-year-old's home and arrested him based on intelligence they had received.

He gave officers the pass code to his iPhone and when its contents were downloaded and examined, a category A video and a still - depicting the most depraved examples of child abuse - were found.

The video showed two young boys, aged around 12 and 16, engaging in sexual activity.

Analysis also showed that Essex had access to a chat on messaging app Telegram called "Gay Aged 14 Group For All".

"He was interviewed by police. He denied making indecent photographs," said Rosemary Proctor, prosecuting.

Essex was previously convicted in 2018 for three offences of making indecent photographs of children and handed a three-year community order.

After failing to comply with the terms of the order, he was re-sentenced to a suspended jail term.

This latest offence, which was uncovered on December 7, 2021, was committed in breach of a sexual harm prevention order and while Essex was signing onto the sex offender's register. It could not be determined if he accessed the content while subject to the suspended sentence order.

Essex, of Lancaster Court, Dawley, Telford, pleaded guilty to a charge of making indecent images of children.

Kevin Jones, mitigating, conceded that Essex "didn't make a great start" after his previous community order, but asked Deputy Circuit Judge Paul Glenn to take the long delay in the case coming to its conclusion when passing sentence.

He also said Essex has care responsibilities for his mother and asked the judge to consider that the prison system is "stretched".

Judge Glenn told Essex: "You pleaded guilty at the magistrates court so you are entitled to full credit.

"But I've read the pre-sentence report, and the reality is you don't accept responsibility either for these matters or the previous occasions. Your plea comes despite your denial of having a sexual interest in young boys.

"You had searched for material in relation to young boys. The moving image lasts for nearly 17 minutes and it shows a sexual interaction between two young boys.

"You committed these offences knowing full well the consequences of doing so.

"These offences are so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence is appropriate."

As well as jailing Essex, he made him subject of a sexual harm prevention order for seven years and ordered him to sign onto the sex offender's register for the same period of time.