A MAN who had more than 3,000 indecent images – some showing the rape of young children while bound and gagged – has been jailed.

James Oliver was said to use vile and warped terms in discussing his apparent “fantasies” with users of the internet-based telephone network Skype, which included a desire to have sex with a two year-old.

The 30-year-old also obtained a video of a teenager committing a sex act on himself, which he then distributed to others using a messaging facility.

Prosecutor Paul Newcombe told Teesside Crown Court that police also discovered several pairs of pants belonging to the same teenager, which were found in the pockets of his dressing gown at his home.

Oliver, who shielded his face with his hands during proceedings, admitted 11 counts of making indecent photos and six of distributing such images over an 11 month period between January 17 and December 15 last year.

In total, police discovered 3,007 indecent images of children in his possession, carefully stored in computer files with descriptions such as “toddler rape”, together with 71 videos.

Oliver, of Danelaw Gardens, Brompton, Northallerton, had been on remand in custody for the past five months awaiting the outcome of the case and was of previous good character.

He told probation officers that he was not sexually interested in children and claimed he found such sexual images “sickening”.

His barrister Robert Mochrie admitted there was little he could say on Oliver's behalf.

“It is very difficult indeed to try and mitigate the abhorrent nature of this offending and pinpoint the exact motivation for him deciding to embark on this course of conduct," he added.

Mr Mochrie suggested that the public interest may be better served by forcing Oliver to confront his behaviour on a treatment programme in the community rather than sentencing him to further custody.

But this was rejected by Recorder Mark McKone.

He told Oliver: “People like you who look at these images encourage others to sexually abuse children which in turn ruins their lives.”

The judge said there were many aggravating features to the case, although he accepted that Oliver's fantasies were just that and there was no evidence to suggest he was actively involved in producing indecent images.

Oliver was jailed for two years, eight months in total.