A paedophile who paid women in the Philippines to make videos of child abuse that he directed has been jailed.

Ashford man Mark Terry used online payments to send women between £15 and £25 in exchange for videos of them sexually abusing girls.

An investigation by the Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POIT) revealed that Terry, 55, frequently paid for videos lasting between two and three minutes, sent via a live messaging app.

After being tipped off in February 2018, police raided Terry's home in Maidstone Road and seized his computer.

A forensic examination of the machine found a staggering 7,000 indecent images of children on the hard drive.

Terry was charged in March 2020 and appeared before Canterbury Crown Court on Friday, August 6, where he admitted 15 counts of encouraging or assisting the commission of a child sex offence and four counts of possessing indecent images of children.

He was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment and will be the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

"We must do everything in our power to protect the vulnerable."

Investigating officer DC Lee Sparks said: "This case is a disturbing example which highlights how easily children can be harmed online by strangers.

"Terry has been the cause of the most horrific abuse of young girls and despite not being physically present at the time of the assaults, he is responsible for them.

"It is saddening that we may never be able to safeguard these young victims and the case serves as a reminder that we must do everything in our power to protect the vulnerable, wherever they may be.

"This was a lengthy and complex investigation and it took considerable time to fully ascertain the extent of Terry’s offending.

"The judge recognised the severity of Terry’s crimes, issuing him a lengthy custodial sentence."

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