A convicted sex offender who shared child abuse images on social media because he was "feeling low" has been spared jail.

Police raided pervert John Daly’s Thanet home in May last year after he was linked to disturbing clips posted on Twitter, now known as X.

Canterbury Crown Court heard as well as uploading four such images, the 58-year-old had also retweeted another two.

Furthermore, when police downloaded his Motorola phone they found a total of 125 category B and C indecent photographs of underage girls, eight prohibited anime images, and several explicit messages.

These were said to have left "no doubt as to the sexual gratification" he gained from viewing such depravity.

Daly, of Manston Road, Ramsgate, later pleaded guilty to two offences of making indecent images, two in relation to distribution, and one offence of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

The court heard he also has previous convictions in 2010 and 2014 in respect of child abuse images and breaching what was then known as a sexual offences prevention order.

But at his sentencing hearing September 4, Judge Alison Russell said although she had concerns about the level of risk he posed, she was prepared to give him "one further chance".

She said she had also taken account of the fact Daly was said by his barrister James Burke to have "relapsed" into offending due to feeling "socially isolated" but now had a full-time job, and a prison sentence would result in him losing his home.

However, the judge made it clear that children were having to suffer "truly abhorrent" abuse for deviants such as himself.

"There is no victim personal statement because there is no identified victim, but be in no doubt those are real children being abused, to order, in order to satisfy the abhorrent market created by men such as you," Judge Russell said.

"Children who are suffering real trauma with lifelong consequences for their well-being, all so that you can obtain some form of sexual gratification.

"I'm told you did this because you were feeling low. One can only imagine how low those girls must have felt."

The judge added his offending was aggravated by his past convictions, as well as his apparent lack of insight and engagement in “deceptive behaviour".

But in deciding to impose a 20-week jail term suspended for 18 months with a condition he takes part in a probation-led programme designed for such image offenders, she concluded: "Nevertheless, I accept you are of low risk of reoffending in terms of any contact offences, even if you are high risk in respect of similar image offences.

"And despite your woeful responses to previous treatment programmes, experienced probation officers remain of the view that you will benefit from the iHorizon programme and can be safely managed in the community.

"I am satisfied your offending is so serious that only a custodial sentence is appropriate. But in this case I consider it is appropriate to suspend the sentence, despite my concerns about your previous failure to learn from your criminality, and there is now a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, given your full-time employment.

"So, even though your case undoubtedly merits a custodial sentence, I can take a step back from that."

As part of his sentence, Daly must complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirements and 150 hours of unpaid work.

As he left the dock, Judge Russell warned: "I am giving you this one further chance.

"Mr Daly, make sure you take that chance and turn your life and behaviour around. Make no mistake, if you are back in this dock for further offending or any breaches, you will go straight to prison."