THE FBI helped to convict a Runcorn paedophile who was using his computer to prey on children in the States.

Wesley McKeown, aged 28, of Ivy Street, has been jailed for two and a half years after admitting 13 offences of possessing indecent photographs of children and four of causing or inciting boys to engage in or look at sexual activity.

He targeted teenagers he had helped whilst working as a student counsellor at a child summer camp in Pennyslvania , America, Warrington Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon.

The FBI gathered vital evidence from Google, Yahoo and Facebook which revealed the pervert had asked two13-year-old boys to send him naked pictures of themselves.

In return, he e-mailed a boy naked images of men and women engaged in sexual activity. One victim rejected the predator’s demands.

When Cheshire police searched his home, they found more than 100 pornographic images on his two laptops. A third were classified in the most serious categories of obscene depravity.

Sentencing him, Recorder Stuart Driver said: “You are a man who is sexually attracted to children. Your computer contained 100 indecent images of children. One third of them were of children engaged in sexual activity with an adult.

“You searched on the internet for material referring to boys. You knew exactly what you were looking for.

“The gravest part of this case is that for seven years you were employed at summer camps in America as a counsellor for boys.

“You had a position of responsibility and a high level of trust. You have misused that trust directly and gravely.”

Prosecuting, Mr John Oates said the offences came to light in 2011 when the mother of a summer camp student discovered naked pictures of her son on his iPhone.

She e-mailed the defendant urging him to get help. He apologised saying he was drunk and ‘wouldn’t do it again’.

She later reported the sexual abuse to the FBI who mounted an investigation.

Mr Oates said: “Special agent James Zajac found e-mails sent from the victim showing pictures of the boy naked and images of men and women engaged in sexual activity from McKeown to the boy.”

Representing himself because he was not eligible for legal aid, McKeown said: “I am no danger to society. I have learnt my lesson absolutely.

“I will never do anything like this ever again.”

McKeown was placed on the sex offenders register for life and given a sexual offenders prevention order.

PC Richard Deakin said afterwards: "There are no borders when it comes to protecting children around the world and this joint investigation shows how law enforcement agencies around the world will track down paedophiles and bring them to justice.”