Gavin Thornton, 44, possessed an extensive collection of child exploitation images and films, including those of children as young as four, on a laptop and mobile device.
Gavin Thornton was apprehended after conversing with an undercover police officer on a photo-sharing website utilised by deviants to disseminate such photos.
Gavin Thornton additionally transmitted an explicit video with a youngster to the undercover officer.
Police found more than 7,000 indecent images, including hundreds of the worst kind, on his devices after visiting his Hartlepool home in 2022.
Gavin Thornton was put on the sex offenders’ register and given a 10-year protection order after he appeared in court for similar offences following a vigilante group sting.
But, during a surprise check at his home by police in February, Gavin Thornton had an undeclared smartphone with various social media aliases that he had also not told police about.
Thirteen further indecent images were also found on the phone.
Gavin Thornton, of Cameron Road, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent images of children, one of distributing an indecent image, breach of a sexual harm prevention order and failure to comply with notification requirements.
Nigel Soppitt, defending, appealed to the judge to allow him to receive treatment in the community.
“He’s a man who wants to avoid this compulsion he has,” said Mr Soppitt.
But after Gavin Thornton was sent to 32 months in prison, Judge Jonathan Carroll said, “It’s clear to me that you are at a level of risk that cannot be safely managed in the community.”
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