A pervert who downloaded and shared sickening images of young children being sexually abused was arrested when his online activity caught the attention of specialist investigators.

Luke Hardy’s illicit use of social media platforms was spotted by the National Crime Agency who alerted Cleveland Police to his depraved behaviour.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 22-year-old admitted sharing the vile images when he was arrested by police.

The 22-year-old admitted to officers that he was using the Kik social media messaging service to share the sickening images with other perverts.

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Jenny Haigh, prosecuting, said: “He said he been receiving and sending images of a sexual nature, mainly over 18 images but later in interview he did accept there was a particular Kik user who had sent him some images which were of children, he had saved them and this had been repeated.

“He said he had deleted most of the images that were indecent images of children but he had saved some and then sent them on.”

She told the court that the images included children as young as five to six being sexually abused.

Hardy, of Langley Avenue, Thornaby, admitted making eight indecent images of children – the most serious offence – between December 27, 2020, and November 24 last year.

He also pleaded guilty to making six Category B images and a further 23 at Category C during the same period.

Samuel Sharp, in mitigation, said his client was a vulnerable adult and was due to become a father.

He added: “He is very remorseful. He understands the impact on the young children, it’s disgusting and he understands that.”

Judge James Brown sentenced Hardy to an 18-month community order and told him he must attend the Horizon programme designed to deal with sex offenders.

He said: “You have got yourself involved in very serious offending. These are not victimless crimes; the reality is that these images show offending against children of the most appalling and depraved kind.

“One can only imagine the terrifying affect such offending has on children as young and five or six.”

Hardy was also issued with a five-year sexual harm prevention order and notification order, as well as carrying out 150 hours of unpaid work and attend 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

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