A Folkestone man said by a judge to have "gloried" in sickening sexual abuse of children was jailed for four years today.

Peter Selley, 44, was told he had plumbed the depths of depravity by making, possessing and distributing more than 20,000 indecent images of children and babies.

The pictures, both still and moving, were said to cover the whole spectrum of seriousness, including a significant number at the highest levels of four and five. Level five can depict sadism or bestiality.

Passing sentence at Maidstone Crown Court, Judge David Griffith-Jones QC described the volume of images as "breath-taking".

"It is quite clear to me," he added, "that you were involved in a concerted and calculated operation which involved distributing and sharing on a substantial scale."

Selley, of Copthall Gardens, admitted 15 offences of making indecent images, 10 of distributing such images and five of possession.

He also asked for a further 12 similar offences to be taken into consideration and the case had been committed by Folkestone magistrates to the crown court for sentence.

Selley will serve half his four-year jail term, less 38 days already spent behind bars on remand. Upon his release he will be subject to an extended licence period of three years.

The former IT worker will also be subject to a sexual offences prevention order, which includes the condition that he must not possess computer equipment.

Selley must also sign on the sex offenders' register indefinitely and is disqualified from working with children.