A COLCHESTER teenager who was found to have 69 of the most serious indecent images of children on his phone and sexually assaulted a young female has been handed a 12 months custodial sentence.

On Friday the 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court charged with a raft of offences.

He was convicted of two counts of possession of a blade article in a public place, sexual assault on a female and making indecent images of children.

The convictions were the result of a several year long investigation by teams at Essex Police, working with multi-agency partners.

Between 2017 and 2018 the male's mobile phone was found to contain 69 category A indecent images of children.

Category A images are the most serious category.

In February 2020, he was stopped and searched in Colchester town centre and was found to have a knife on him.

He stated he had found it earlier in the day and was on his way to put it in the amnesty bin.

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A few months later the same year, he was out with a young female.

He pulled her towards him, before pushing her on to her back and getting on top of her.

The 17-year-old then attempted to engage in sexual activity with her.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "On the day before he was due in court for these offences, he was stop and searched again by officers conducting Operation Sceptre patrols in the Greenstead area of Colchester.

"Operation Sceptre is a national operation which targets drug and weapon crime.

"He was found with a lock-knife concealed inside his trousers.

"On this occasion he was not on his way to the amnesty bin, but instead stated that he had been fishing the previous day and had forgotten he had the knife on him."

The 17-year-old was handed a 12 month custodial sentence in the form of a detention and training order.

He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.