A PAEDOPHILE hunted for indecent images of children using the search terms ‘young girls’ bottoms’ and ‘nine-year-old rape’, a court heard.

Adam Medley was caught after police raided his home in Megfield, Westhoughton, on October 27 last year.

David Lees, prosecuting, told Bolton Crown Court: “It was a search based on intelligence that the defendant had been in contact with other people asking them to send him images. There is no suggestion that he had been sending images to other people.”

A number of computers and mobile devices were seized from 23-year-old Medley’s bedroom and indecent images of children aged between four and 11 were found on a Microsoft phone and a laptop.

Mr Lees said six of the most serious category A images and a category B image were found on the phone and two category A images and 13 category C images on the laptop.

Medley, who is of previous good character, pleaded guilty to downloading indecent images of children.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh gave Medley a three year community order with 30 days of rehabilitation activities and participation in a sex offender treatment programme.

He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for five years.

“I want to make it absolutely crystal clear that offences of this sort are not victimless crimes,” said Judge Walsh.

“The images show real abuse of real children.”