by Julia Roberts

A convicted sex offender who downloaded almost 100,000 pornographic images of children was jailed for 20 months on Friday.

A judge at Maidstone Crown Court told Ronald Fuller, 49, the images were among the worst he had ever had to view.

Many were categorised at levels four and five - the most serious - and depicted naked teenage girls being abused by adults.

Fuller, of Crinnis Windmill Hill, Wrotham Heath, admitted 20 charges of making indecent photographs of children and seven of possessing indecent photographs between 2003 and 2009.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Fuller was jailed for 18 months for similar offences in 2000 and, while a serving prisoner, had undergone a Sex Offenders' Treatment Programme.

Prosecutor lestyn Morgan said 96,966 images were found on a computer hard drive in September last year, but because of the number police were only able to examine and categorise less than half.

Police also found 345 movie clips on the same hard drive, as well as more than 5,000 images on a CD.

Mr Morgan said: "The defendant initially denied having put the images on the laptop but then went on to state he put them on there in the days when he used to offend."

Catherine Donnelly, defending, said Fuller was different to many other sex offenders in that he is "self-aware" and understands what motivates his offending.

Miss Donnelly also suggested Fuller may face a life-long battle with his problem.

Passing sentence Judge Philip Statman said: "Each of these images has a victim. Young girls, probably of early teenage years but no suggestion of babies or young children, depicted in the most appalling states of sexual indignities and humiliation inflicted upon them by adults."

Fuller will serve half his sentence less 148 days already spent on remand.