A SEX offender given two previous suspended sentences is now behind bars after his latest breach of a court order.

Christopher Smith received both suspended sentences for possessing indecent images of children, in 2013 and 2018, after which he was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), putting strict prohibitions on his use of the internet.

But the 51-year-old was back before Durham Crown Court, via video link from the city’s prison, after admitting four SHPO breaches, plus possessing indecent images of children.

It follows visits by police to his home, in Front Street, Perkinsville, for a sex offender assessment interview, in July, last year, and in February.

Claire Anderson, prosecuting, said in July police found he was using the online user name ‘Daddy Chris’, as an alias.

He said he was a big music fan and claimed it was a reference to the song ‘Daddy Cool’.

Following the February visit he was arrested after two indecent images of children were found on a mobile phone, via which it was discovered he accessed a chat room using a private browser facility.

He said he used it to chat to adults to discuss sexual matters and used different user names.

Smith claimed he, “got a kick out of” the stories exchanged.

He conceded he had seen an indecent image on it more than a year previously.

In a later interview he claimed he had not used the device for three years but conceded he had continued to use the private browser facility to access the chat rooms on which he took part in role play scenarios for sexual gratification.

Shada Mellor, for Smith, said the two images found on the phone were only thumbnails and had been on the phone for three years.

But she said he accepts he has, “a problem” and needs help.

Judge James Adkin said: “It does seem like a persistent breach, almost since the order was imposed, and the risk is that he could be in sexual communication with a child.

“It’s difficult to police as he’s using aliases on a private browser facility to cover his tracks.”

Jailing him for ten months, he also made Smith subject of registration as a sex offender and a new SHPO, both for seven years.