A SEX offender breached the terms of a restrictive order put in place to curb his online activities, by collating tens of thousands of indecent images of children.

David John McKay is at risk of a further prison sentence after admitting breaching an unlimited Sexual Offences Prevention Order (Sopo), imposed when he was first jailed, at Durham Crown Court, in September 2012.

The, then 60-year-old defendant, of Gilesgate Moor, Durham, received a two-year sentence at that hearing for offences including possessing indecent child images, voyeurism and theft of female underwear, described by Judge Christopher Prince, at the time, as, “profoundly disturbing behaviour”.

Appearing back at the court after he was found to have downloaded more than 54,000 offending images, between April 2015 and October last year, he admitted breaching the terms of the 2012 Sopo by being in possession of a smart phone and an iPad, from which he was prohibited by the order.

He also admitted three counts of making indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images of children, relating to eight encrypted images, possessing extreme pornography and possessing a paedophile manual, offering guidance about abusing children sexually.

McKay, now 66, of Hartington Road, Stockton, is also to be sentenced after previously admitting breaching the requirements of notification as a sex offender, by possessing an Australian passport.

Having read an earlier psychiatric report on the defendant, in which McKay denied most of the alleged behaviour, Recorder Eric Elliott said there has now been a, “fundamental change in circumstances, and attitude”, by his admissions, which may affect the ultimate sentence.

Recorder Elliott, therefore, adjourned for preparation of an updated report, by the author of the previous psychiatric assessment, and remanded McKay in custody to a date to be confirmed.