A MAN has been found with hundreds of images of young children being sexually abused.

Mark Fitzjohn, 26, had more than 600 pictures seized by police from his laptop, hard drive and tablet when they executed a warrant at his home in Dovercourt on December 16, 2016.

Officers found 202 Category A moving and still images – which is the most serious category of abuse imagery – 260 Category B moving and still images, and 185 Category C images.

At Chelmsford Crown Court Fitzjohn was charged and pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent imagery of children.

He was made the subject of a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, fined £350 and ordered to pay £535 costs.

He also given a 12-month jail term suspended for two-years and was ordered to complete 40 days of rehabilitation when he was sentenced on March 15.

Following the sentencing Det Insp Ashley Howard said: “Perpetrators like Fitzjohn no doubt think it’s perfectly acceptable to download abuse imagery of children – it isn’t.

“Every time people go online to view, download or distribute an indecent image of a child, the exploitation of that child occurs again and again.

“Essex Police will continue to proactively target those offenders who download, view of distribute indecent imagery of children.”

Fitzjohn is one of more than 58 offenders arrested during a crackdown aimed at targeting offenders downloading, making and distributing indecent images of children online.

The Lucy Faithfull Foundation runs Stop it Now! – a child sexual abuse prevention campaign and helpline.

For more information on how Stop it Now! visit the website www.stopitnow.org.uk or call the confidential Stop it Now! Helpline on 0808 1000 900.