He posted dark web material

A paedophile who posted images online of him abusing a child has been jailed for nearly nine years.

Ian Worthington, 52, was arrested after National Crime Agency investigators discovered he had uploaded depraved material to the dark web from his home.

His house near Cannock in Staffordshire was searched and officers seized a number of devices, including a phone and laptop.

Worthington used dark web hidden service forums to ensure his activity remained anonymous.

Investigators recovered 20,500 indecent images of children (IIOC) including some showing a youngster being sexually assaulted by Worthington.

Some of the material compiled by the sex beast was traced to a device belonging to an Australian paedophile, who was jailed for 22 years in 2015.

Worthington admitted sexual assault of a child under 13, three counts of making IIOC (ranging from category A-C) and two of distributing category B and C IIOC.

He was jailed for eight years and eight months at Stafford Crown Court.

NCA operations manager Hazel Stewart said: ‘Online abuse material cannot exist without the real-world exploitation of children.

‘As this case shows, there is a clear link between offenders seeking out such material and committing sexual abuse themselves.

‘We have wide-ranging capabilities to identify the most dangerous offenders who use the dark web in an attempt to remain anonymous.

‘We will stop at nothing to ensure they face justice, and to protect children from exploitation.’

Worthington was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and added to the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.