A WINSFORD pervert has avoided jailed despite being found in possession of thousands of sick images of children and animals.

Alexander Clarke, of Beckett Avenue, appeared at Chester Crown Court on June 10 where he pleaded guilty to six sex offence charges.

The 23-year-old was charged with making and possessing 2,709 indecent images of children between April 29, 2017, and September 4, 2020.

Of these, 580 were in the most serious category, A, 549 were category B and 1,580 were category C.

Clarke was also charged with possessing four extreme pornographic images of people performing sex acts with animals.

The final charge relates Clarke being in possession of 353 prohibited images of children.

Judge Patrick Thompson sentenced him to 16 months in prison, but suspended the jail term for two years.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was made for 10 years meaning Clarke cannot use a device capable of accessing the internet without police permission.

He is also banned from having unsupervised contact with or living with a child under 16.

The court also ordered him to complete 250 hours of unpaid work, and 30 days of rehabilitation.

Clarke was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £156.