Self-styled paedophile hunter is caught with 1,700 child sex abuse images
A SELF-STYLED paedophile hunter was caught downloading 1,700 child abuse images after becoming attracted to the sickening photos.
Cameron Battisson, 21, was arrested at his home in Sandyford, Staffordshire where his phone and laptop were seized.
On his devices, cops found 697 Category A images, which are the most serious, along with 500 Category B and 500 Category C.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Battisson initially went on twisted websites to catch paedophiles before he became gradually attracted to the horrors he saw.
An investigation also showed he'd sent pictures to other perverts.
He's now been given a three-year community order.
Battisson pleaded guilty to possessing indecent photographs of children and distributing indecent photographs of children.
In mitigation, Hamish Noble said Battisson was diagnosed with autism in 2011 and he forgot why he went into child pornography sites over time.
Mr Noble also said he lost his job in a pet shop over concerns about contact with children.
Judge Paul Glenn said he didn't believe that Battisson didn't receive any sexual gratification from the appalling images.
He said: "I do not accept your conduct can simply be explained by reference to the autistic spectrum disorder," reports.
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"You do seem now to understand that these are real children being abused, being irreparably damaged for the entertainment of people who access this material and those who download this sort of material encourage the perpetrators of this vile abuse.
"It was a significant number of images, many of them moving images. The question I have to assess is the prospect for rehabilitation and there may well be and for that reason I won't send you to prison."
Battisson was made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and he was made to pay £300 court costs.
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