A Dover sex offender stabbed himself after police confronted him about the downloading of prohibited images.

Matthew Stone, 23, grabbed a knife in an apparent suicide attempt when officers revealed his lies about accessing the Internet.

Stone, formerly of South Street, went into his kitchen and stabbed himself in the stomach in “what appeared to be an attempt to kill himself”, said prosecutor Jim Harvey.

“Fortunately his injuries were superficial," he told Canterbury Crown Court.

Stone was on the Sex Offender’s Register after receiving a police caution for the attempted rape of a child five years ago.

In 2012 he was convicted of possessing indecent child images and in August last year admitted breaching conditions of his Sex Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).

Mr Harvey said that as part of his monitoring, police had gone to his home in May to carry out checks on Stone’s mobile and computer.

Mr Harvey said that Stone handed over an old phone claiming that was the only one he possessed so officers telephoned his mobile number.

“Immediately a phone, which was hidden underneath clothing, began ringing and police were able to examine the Internet sites he had accessed," added the prosecutor.

It was then that Stone made his knife attempt – before eventually handing over a laptop and hard drive which contained deletion and encryption software banned under the SOPO.

A forensic examination later showed he had downloaded 11 Japanese ‘Manga-style’ cartoon images depicting child rape.

He was jailed for 12 months after admitting possessing unlawful images, breaching both court orders and a suspended sentence.

Judge Heather Norton told him a probation report indicated he understood the effects of downloading such material but “nevertheless you just continue doing it".

She added: “You are a fool to yourself.”

Stone was also give a new 10-year order to remain on the Sex Offenders' Register and pay £1,000 in compulsory victim impact and court charges.

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