A CHILD sex offender who was jailed for five years in Australia is back behind bars after sharing images of child abuse on the dark web.

Paul Quinn used a secretive Swiss online service to peddle indecent pictures and movies of children to like minded people.

But he was caught after an undercover police officer infiltrated the network and was sent the vile material by the 37-year-old.

And Quinn also talked to the officer about meeting up and getting him to bring along his young daughters.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how Quinn was already on the police’s radar before the latest bout of offending.

She said the officer went on to the encrypted email service where the defendant set him 28 videos and 201 pictures in the worst category.

He then communicated with the officer via another, less secure, network where he suggested they meet up.

In mid-August police raided his home and seized his computers which contained logs of his chats with the undercover cop.

She said “More concerning were quantities of children’s underwear was located in his bedroom.”

He told officers ‘I don’t know how I let it get to this stage again,’ and said he was concerned about the affect on his mum and dad.

She said he was adept at operating online, having worked for Sony on a forum, and was well able to cover his tracks and go on to the dark web.

Quinn, of Church View, Highworth, pleaded guilty to three counts of making and three of distributing indecent images of children.

He was jailed for five years in Perth, Australia, in 2006 for sexually abusing a girl and two boys, the youngest only weeks old.

Mike Pulsford, defending, said the probation felt unable to offer any help in the community because of the high risk he presents to children.

He said on return to the UK after serving his time down under he got a job with the council, but was quickly dismissed when his CRB check was completed.

“He is a man who has spent hours, and hours, and hours, alone sitting at home with a computer,” he said.

“He has admitted to some 23 years now of absolutely unnatural thoughts about gaining sexual gratification from children, and very young children to wit.

“He is a man who says to me, and I first met him in Salisbury Magistrates' Court cells in years saying ‘I want help’.”

Jailing him Judge Tim Mousley QC said: “The facts are very straight forward. You sent images to an undercover police officer.

“You are someone who does what ever you can to avoid detection. Some of your attempts to do that were relatively sophisticated and you also worked out techniques to cover your tracks.

“You quite obviously have a predilection for sexual activity with very young children. That predilection is deep seated. It has been there since at least 2006.

“In 2006 you were convicted of offences including contact offences with very young children. You were released in 2010.”

He imposed a jail term of four years and four months, which Quinn must serve two thirds of before he can seek parole, with a four-year extended licence.

An NSPCC spokesperson for South West England said: “Quinn’s crimes are far from victimless – children suffer the most horrific abuse for the images he downloaded to be made. Collecting and sharing these images, as Quinn did, fuels the demand for more children to suffer.

“He must be policed effectively on his release from prison to aid his rehabilitation and to prevent any further repeats of his offending.”

Any adult concerned about the welfare of a child or young person can call the NSPCC helpline for free 24/7 on 0808 800 5000. Meanwhile, children can call Childline on 0800 1111.