A SOUTHAMPTON telesales worker who advertised his sickening collection of child porn through Internet chat rooms has been jailed for two years.

Andrew Hessey, described as "lonely and inadequate", masterminded a sophisticated scheme spurred by his own unhealthy interest in young children.

Hessey, 25, arranged for adverts to be sent to specific chatrooms on a regular basis.

Interested parties were given a password, providing them with access to images on Hessey's computer server.

Southampton Crown Court was told how "customers" traded their own pictures or films in exchange for viewing Hessey's material.

Most of the images, which included video footage and still photographs, featured girls aged between three and six.

The horrific scenes included children being raped and sexually abused, youngsters bound and gagged and three men committing an indecent act on a young girl.

Hessey was arrested after officers from Hampshire police's paedophile investigation unit executed a search warrant at his home in Millbrook Road East, Southampton, in April.

The raid was part of Operation Magenta, a major crackdown spearheaded by Greater Manchester and Hertfordshire police against those who use Internet chat rooms to trade in indecent images of children.

Hessey, now of Suffolk Avenue, Shirley, pleaded guilty to five charges of distributing indecent images of children, six of possessing them and 17 of making them under the Protection of Children Act 1978.

All offences happened between March 24 and April 25 this year.

After viewing some of the images on a computer in court, Recorder John Jarvis QC told him: "I can only describe them as disgusting, degrading and quite horrific.

"What effect that has had on these young children for the rest of their lives nobody knows, but it cannot be anything other than terrible.

"Of course you are not the person responsible for doing these acts but it is people like you who distribute these images who encourage those people and those who are engaged in paedophile acts."

The judge ordered Hessey to complete an extended three-year supervision period, banned him from working with children and ordered him to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

A forfeiture order was put on the computer and associated equipment.

Justin Gau, in mitigation, said Hessey, who lives with his fiance, was a lonely, inadequate man who was genuinely remorseful and in desperate need of help.