A 29-year-old Lowestoft man who was found in possession of indecent images and videos of children has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Police went to Aaron Hinson’s home after receiving information from the National Crime Agency in relation to a Twitter account which had been used to upload indecent images of children onto the internet in November 2020.

Richard Potts, prosecuting, said Hinson had also engaged in sexual conversations about rape which he told police were “pure fantasy”.

Hinson, of Normanston Drive, Lowestoft, admitted two offences of making indecent images of children, one offence of possessing prohibited images of children and distributing an indecent video of a child.

When Hinson’s iPhone was examined it was found to contain six videos in the most serious level A category, five indecent images of children and one video in category B and four prohibited videos of children.

Hinson was given a 16-month prison sentence suspended for 24 months, 150 hours unpaid work, a 50 day rehabilitation programme and was ordered to attend a sex offenders’ programme.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register.

Sentencing him Recorder Richard Christie said: “Child pornography is a scourge and it isn’t a victimless crime. Every image you watch involves a child being abused.”

He described Hinson’s interest in indecent images as a “vile addiction”.

The court heard that Hinson had previous convictions in 2017 and 2018 for offences relating to indecent images of children.

Oliver Haswell for Hinson urged the court to pass a suspended sentence to allow him to attend a sex offenders’ programme.

He said although Hinson had been given two suspended prison sentences in the past he had never been offered the chance to take part in a programme that would address his offending behaviour.

“He should have had that help five years ago but it’s no too late for him to have it now,” said Mr Haswell.

He said Hinson hadn’t reoffended during the last two years since November 2020.

He said he had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and this had become worse during lockdown when he was lonely.

He said Hinson was remorseful and asked the court to give him “one last chance”.