A teenager who downloaded a video of child rape and tried sending sexual messages to a 13-year-old has been spared jail.

Thomas Devonshire, from Ashford, crudely asked who he believed to be a young girl for sex on an internet chatroom for 13-17-year-olds.

But Devonshire, then 18, had unknowingly solicited an undercover officer posing as a teen in an operation designed to help keep children safe online.

When his devices were seized officers unearthed three category A images, the worst kind, with the most severe showing a pre-school-aged child being raped.

He was also found in possession of three category B and 22 category C pictures.

Devonshire, now 20, was spared prison when he appeared for sentencing at Canterbury Crown Court on September 9, where a judge described his actions as a “grotesque violation”.

The court heard after meeting the undercover officer, Devonshire asked: “Have you ever had sex? Do you have any sexual fantasies?”

When the officer brushed off several more “highly sexual” requests Devonshire persisted, saying: “You sure I can’t get a peek at them cheeks?”

Devonshire, of Leslie Gilbert Lane, denied to the authorities any sexual interest in children.

But police found records he had researched the term ‘hebephilia’, meaning the sexual interest in adults of children aged 11-14.

When asked about this in interview, Devonshire claimed he looked up the phrase after seeing it used and not knowing its meaning.

He admitted using the dark web since age 14 but had only downloaded the Tor browser to access it because he believed the government hides things from the public.

Devonshire would further tell officers he accidentally downloaded extreme images before when trying to download movies for free and admitted having seen abusive images showing children as young as newborns.

His lawyer, Claudia Williams, told the court he felt embarrassed and ashamed by the offences he had admitted, particularly because he has a little sister.

Ms Williams told the court Devonshire has never had a girlfriend and, at the time of the offence, was extremely isolated after being forced to leave school due to severe bullying.

She also made it clear Devonshire had not attempted to contact any other child and had had no further contact with the police.

Imposing a 12-month jail term suspended for two years, Judge Mark Weekes said the offence was aggravated by the severity of the images and the vulnerability of the children depicted.

But he stated that as per a pre-sentence probation report, the risk of him reoffending over the next two years was low.

Addressing Devonshire directly, Judge Mark Weekes said: “You had sexual communications with an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl.

“That was made clear to you and you proceeded with your communication and made several highly sexual requests including of sexual intercourse with someone you believed to be very much below the age where that request would be appropriate.

“You had a number of images of sexual abuse, three of which were category A.

“The images themselves presented a grotesque violation of those children.

“All sexual abuse scars forever and their ordeal is made all the worse by people such as you viewing these images.”

Judge Weekes continued: “I’m sorry to hear about your troubled schooling, it's always hard to hear of those who are so bullied they are forced to leave school.

“You are very fortunate to have a number of protective factors, most importantly your mother who is here today.

“You are young and people are entitled to chances in life and this is yours so take it. But if you appear here again I expect that you will end up in custody.

“It has weighed very heavily on me how much of your young life you have spent waiting to find out if you are going into custody.

“Please think about your family and how many hours they have spent worrying that their little boy will go to prison. Don’t forget that.”

Devonshire admitted three counts of making indecent images and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child before magistrates at a previous hearing.

As part of his sentence, he must complete the Horizon sex offender treatment programme, 100 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirements.

He will also have to sign on the sex offenders’ register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.