A PAEDOPHILE has been put behind bars after wasting a chance previously given to him by the courts.

Kevin Cornes was previously spared jail on two occasions for offences involving depraved sexualised images of children.

But the 36-year-old has now been locked up following a sentencing hearing at Chester Crown Court, having previously admitted all charges.

Cornes faces three counts of making indecent images of children, one of possessing indecent images of children, one of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

He also faced charges of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving animals and breach of a suspended sentence.

The court heard how police seized his mobile phone and sent it for a forensic analysis, and this revealed the presence of the disgusting material.

In total, officers found 388 indecent images of children, of which 51 were graded as category A – the most severe category involving child rape – while 49 were category B and 288 category C.

The search also revealed the presence of a prohibited image of a child – sketches, paintings, cartoons or any other unreal ‘depictions’ described as being ‘pornographic’.

In addition, officers found an extreme pornographic image involving an animal, described as ‘explicit and realistic’, as well as ‘grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise of an obscene character’.

Cornes was previously before the same court in June 2022 for downloading 9,177 images of children being abused.

The defendant was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended for two years however after being deemed a ‘realistic prospect for rehabilitation’.

He has a similar conviction from 2015 for making indecent images, when he received a three-year community order.

For his latest offending, Cornes, of Ascot Avenue in Runcorn, was sentenced by recorder Ciaran Rankin to 33 months in prison.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offender register for the next 10 years and the court approved an order for the forfeiture and destruction of his mobile phone.