A PORN addict descended into viewing indecent images of children as a “coping mechanism”.

Cameron White has gone through hours of therapy following the discovery of hundreds of indecent images of children on his phone, laptop and tablet.

The 38-year-old, of Trinity Road, Southend had police visit him on March 25, right at the beginning of lockdown, where they seized an iPhone, Samsung tablet and HP laptop.

The three devices were analysed by the police and in total, had 97 category A images, the most serious kind, 102 category B images and 426 category C images, totalling 625 images.

The oldest of these photos dated back to September 2018.

White went on to admit three counts of making indecent images of children and was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court today.

Prosecuting, John Crawford told the court: “He did say he wasn’t so much sexually interested in children and he was drawn to riskier pornography to act as a coping mechanism.”

Mitigating, Julia Smart said that White, who had originally come to the UK from New Zealand, had been through a difficult divorce and was at a low point.

She said: “He described the knock on the door from the police as a relief as he accepted that would happen.

“He found it very difficult to cope with his addiction to pornography.

“He made full and frank admissions and assisted the police in finding the photos on the devices. He is genuinely and fully remorseful for his actions.”

Ms Smart said White had made his partner put a monitoring application onto his devices preventing him from accessing sites where indecent images of children could be accessed.

She added: “He has been stopped in his tracks in his offending and has taken every step he can take to be in a better position.”

Judge Andrew Hurst told the court that White had enrolled on a course for offenders to raise awareness of their actions and their effect on others, having completed 18 sessions since he was caught.

He said: “You appreciate these images are of real children and they have been forced to do sex acts which are way beyond what they can deal with.”

Judge Hurst gave White a two year community order with 50 days rehabilitation, 180 ours unpaid work and he must pay £500 in costs.