A Shildon man who appeared to "revel in being a paedophile" said he wanted a cabin in the woods dubbed the "slaughterhouse" to abuse children in.
Joseph Thompson also exchanged “vile” images of young children being sexually abused among a network of other chat group users, with some of the messaging being encrypted in a bid to conceal their true nature.
Despite his claims that in searching out the paedophilic material on the internet, he was following “voices”, reports prepared for Thompson’s sentencing hearing confirmed he does not suffer with psychosis.
The 21-year-old defendant of Fir Tree, Shildon, admitted three counts each of making and distributing indecent images of children, plus one of possession of extreme pornography.
Lucy Todd, prosecuting, told Durham Crown Court police went to the defendant’s home on September 11, last year, as it was suspected he had links to offences of distribution of indecent images.
Various devices, including his phone, were seized for examination.
They contained 272 indecent child images, 166 in the most serious category, many which he shared with four other users of two apps over several months last year.
Miss Todd said in his conversations with them Thompson revealed there was no lower age limit for the children he would like to abuse, claiming he wanted to rape a baby and cause it harm.
He stated that he wanted a cabin in the woods where he could carry out his deviant acts, which he said would be his own personal “slaughterhouse”.
Miss Todd said many of the images passed on by the defendant featured the abuse of children who appeared in discernible pain, with at least one potentially drugged by the abuser.
She said although the defendant has no previous convictions, he did have an “out of court disposal” as a 16-year-old in 2021, when found in possession of indecent images of children in all categories.
Dr Chris Wood, representing Thompson, said there was, “very little” he could say on his behalf by way of mitigation.
He said the defendant was “very well aware” when given the out of court settlement in 2021 that it was “a warning shot” and this would represent his first taste of custody, which would have a harsh impact on him.
Dr Wood said any work the Probation Service may be able to do with the defendant to address his offending would have to come after he has served his sentence.
Judge Richard Bennett told Thompson the comments made by him to the other chat group users were, “in the most extreme of vile terms”.
The judge said despite the defendant’s claims to the Probation Service that he did not have an unhealthy sexual attraction to children, “the evidence was overwhelming” that he does have such an interest.
“You claim it was driven by voices, but I’m satisfied it was not.
“It was driven by your sexual interest ion children and nothing else.
“I’m satisfied you are minimising your involvement in this offending.
“You were revelling in the fact you were calling yourself a paedophile.”
The judge said the more graphic the images the more gratification the defendant appeared to gain.
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He said it was, “clearly an entrenched pattern of behaviour”, given the defendant's previous "brush with police."
Th judge said he accepted the defendant suffered with depression and anxiety but the only disposal he could pass was an immediate 18-month prison sentence.
Thompson was also made subject of registration as a sex offender and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, both for ten years.
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