A MAN who posted indecent images of children on Twitter accounts opened using derivatives of his name, was jailed for two years.

Andrew Dixon made it obvious to potential followers of the type of material available on the sites, as his profile description was always worded along the lines, “love pre-teen, nude and incest”.

Durham Crown Court heard that over a six-month period he opened 15 accounts, on to which he uploaded a selection of the images, featuring children aged three to 16.

Harry Hatfield, prosecuting, said each time Twitter closed an account, Dixon opened a new one using an amended form of his name, in one case frustratedly stating: “Getting sick now! Another new account, loves pre-teens and incest.”

Mr Hatfield said the defendant posted a total of 111 indecent images, including 15 classed as in the most serious two categories, between August 2014 and February last year.

Following an “urgent” alert from the National Crime Agency to Durham Police, Dixon was traced as the user of the account and police raided his home to arrest him, on February 13.

He made admissions during his police interviews, confirming he had around 300 ‘followers’ world-wide, including a number in the USA, Germany and some in this country, including one in the North-East.

Dixon said he searched for images on other sites, downloading them onto his phone, to post onto his Twitter accounts.

He then deleted them from the phone, in case his now ex-girlfriend saw them.

Dixon, 41, of Edward Avenue, Horden, admitted 15 counts of distributing indecent images of children, one of encouraging distribution and one of possessing three downloaded images of extreme pornography.

Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said the defendant accepted he would receive a custodial sentence, but realised he needs help to address his problem.

Urging Judge Christopher Prince to suspend the inevitable prison sentence, Mr Constantine said Dixon, who has only one unrelated conviction, works for a local manufacturing company and has a new contract open to him from June 1.

But Judge Prince said he had to send out the message to anyone considering sharing or posting such material that they face immediate prison sentences, as every time an image is viewed it represents a form of abuse of the child involved.

He made Dixon subject to a sexual harm prevention order, restricting his internet use, until further notice.

Dixon must also register as a sex offender, for ten years, and his phone was forfeited.