A man has been found guilty of raping a child and possessing nearly 10,000 indecent images of children.

Paul Cosier, 51, previously of Clifford Gardens in Deal appeared before Canterbury Crown Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to 17 offences, including the rape of a girl under the age of 13.

Cosier was arrested last year after information about him was passed to Kent Police by the Metropolitan Police.

Officers carried out subsequent investigations and established the extent of Cosier's offences, which included 10 offences of distributing of indecent images of children, three offences of taking indecent images of children, two offences of making indecent images of children and one offence of possession of indecent images of children.

A total of 9.485 indecent images were found in Cosier’s possession, all of which ranged from levels one to five in terms of indecency, level 5 being the most serious depicting sadism or bestiality with children.

Senior Investigating Officer DC Kay Sankey said: "Cosier distributed child abuse images, each representing a real child suffering real abuse.

“His continual interaction with other like- minded individuals and his ongoing discussions regarding the sexual abuse of children, eventually led him to commit a serious sexual assault on a vulnerable young child - a child who was unable to protect herself from his horrific intentions.

“Kent Police continues to seek out those individuals who abuse children in this way and bring these people before the courts.”

Cosier has been remanded until sentencing at Maidstone Crown Court at a date yet to be set.