A CHILD porn addict was yesterday banned from using the Internet.

Police may go into the home of Paul Hinchcliffe, 52, to make sure he has not broken the ban, which is a condition of his bail.

Hinchcliffe, who admitted downloading 1,193 images of child pornography, fled to a secret address after his home was wrecked by vigilantes, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Disabled Hinchcliffe was arrested during Operation Ore, an investigation into people named by the FBI, in the US, investigating credit card payments to a Texas website supplying child pornography.

Richard Bennett, defending, said: "When his address was published in newspapers, his windows were broken by people acting as vigilantes, and he had to move out of his house."

Judge Peter Armstrong told Hinchcliffe: "The granting of bail must not be taken as any indication of sentence. All options are available to the court and that includes custody."

Hinchcliffe pleaded guilty to 16 charges of making indecent photographs of a child.

Hinchcliffe, whose address cannot be published until he is sentenced, was remanded on bail until October for pre-sentence and medical reports.

He was ordered to register as a sex offender.