A CONVICTED paedophile found with indecent images of children and a chicken rape video on his phone claimed they had been posted in a WhatsApp chat.

Davey Woodruff, 26, did not deny being in possession of the 39 indecent images or six bestiality videos, Swindon Magistrates’ Court heard.

But he claimed the illegal material was only found on his Samsung Galaxy S8 mobile phone because they had been posted in a WhatsApp messenger group of which he was part and automatically saved to his phone.

Magistrates were told Woodruff was spared prison by a Winchester judge in 2017 after he admitted having a vile stash of more than 300 child sex abuse images and videos – including 15 in the most serious category.

He was given a suspended jail sentence of eight months and handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order preventing him from owning internet-enabled devices without the knowledge of police.

Prosecutor Graham Dono said police officers made a surprise visit to Woodruff’s Devizes flat on March 12 this year.

“The defendant appeared shocked and panicked and asked if he could go for a wee before closing the door on officers. A few minutes later the defendant reappeared and allowed the officers entry to his home,” Mr Dono said.

He told the police officers he had sold all the electronic devices in his flat capable of accessing the internet, including a Samsung mobile phone and an Xbox games console.

But he went on to admit he had been given a PlayStation 4 for Christmas but claimed he did not use it to access the internet.

The police officer noticed Woodruff had a BT wifi router and, by tethering to the wireless internet using her laptop, was able to find out that the man’s Samsung Galaxy mobile was also using the WiFi – despite him having told police he’d sold it.

Asked why his mobile was using the wifi, he told the constable: “It shouldn’t be.”

Despite the denial, he went to his bedroom and retrieved the phone from beneath his pillow.

A search of the phone by cyber detectives uncovered five indecent images of children in category B and 34 in category C. They included a picture of a 12-year-old girl being molested by an older man.

Six bestiality videos were found, including footage of a chicken being raped.

When police returned to see Woodruff on June 26 he handed over an iPhone 5. He had not notified officers within three days of buying the device, as required under the terms of his sexual harm prevention order.

Mark Glendenning, defending, said the vile images and videos had been downloaded automatically to his client’s phone after they were posted in a WhatsApp group chat.

He accepted he was in breach of the sexual harm prevention order. On the reluctance to let police into his flat, Mr Glendenning said: “He was concerned somebody had suggested he had been in a conversation with somebody he should have had a conversation with. They said they were going to report that conversation.” There were no police allegations in relation to that exchange.

Woodruff was said to be a carer for a friend, with whom he lived.

Appearing before Swindon Magistrates’ Court via video link from Melksham police station on Saturday morning, Woodruff, of Moyne Close, Devizes, pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching his sexual harm prevention order, two charges of making indecent images and possession of extreme pornography.

The magistrates remanded him in custody for sentence at Salisbury Crown Court on July 31.