A WINSFORD man who downloaded the worst kind of child abuse images and videos ‘out of boredom’ and shared one over a live video sex chat website has avoided jail.

Police swept Jason Steere's Kingsley Walk home after being told he'd shared a child abuse image over an adult video chat site.

Officers searched his devices, but couldn’t find anything illegal.

At interview, the 46-year-old admitted there was tablet at his home with illegal images and videos on it, which police found when they went back.

Some of the pictures and videos were category A, the most serious kind, and most showed girls aged between six and 14 years old.

When questioned about the particular category A image shared on the video chat, he said he  recognised it from a porn website, but distributed it by accident, claiming it was open on his tablet while he was video calling another user.

Steere told police he gets no pleasure from the videos and images as he has no sexual interest in children and claimed he downloaded them ‘out of boredom’.

Police also found evidence Steere uses the dark web and a VPN to conceal his internet browsing.

Steere pleaded guilty to two counts of making indecent images of children, one of possessing them, and one of distributing them, at a hearing on November 28 last year.

He returned to Chester Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday, January 30.  

Prosecuting, Tom McLoughlin asked the court to make a sexual harm prevention order as part of Steere's sentence, meaning he'd have to register all his devices with the police, and make his browsing history available to any officer who asks to see it.

It would also ban him from using a VPN, deleting his internet history, or using secret or incognito browsing.

Defending, Simeon Evans said the number of images and videos Steere had on his tablet was ‘very low’.

He added his client had no relevant criminal offences on his record, and had told police about the tablet voluntarily after they missed it in their first sweep of his home.

Passing sentence, the recorder, Ciaran Rankin, said telling police about the tablet ‘stood him in good stead', adding: “Though the court may well be sceptical about whether you have no sexual interest in children.

“The truth of that may well come out in the wash.”

Steere was sentenced to a total of 12 months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to complete 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 120 hours unpaid work, and pay £440 prosecution costs.

The recorder also ordered him sign the sex offenders register for 10 years, and made him subject to a sexual harm prevention order for five years.