A man who downloaded a paedophiles’ guide giving advice on how to abuse babies as young as two-months-old has been jailed for four years.
Arif Azad, 21, was also messaging schoolchildren online and one unknown victim sent him a number of “disturbing” images.
Specialist Metropolitan Police officers received information about Azad, from Newham, east London in March last year.
An urgent investigation established he had accessed nearly 6,000 indecent images of children – 3,500 of them in the most extreme category.
On the day before his arrest, Azad obtained a “paedophile manual” which gave instructions on how to commit sexual offences against infants.
Evidence retrieved from electronic devices revealed multiple chats with children via social media.
At Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, Azad was sentenced to two years for the making, distribution and possession of indecent images and another two years for engaging in sexual communication with a child and possession of the manual.
Azad - who pleaded guilty - will be subject to sex offender notification requirement for life and a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.
Police Constable Ella Rose, of the Met’s North East online child sexual abuse exploitation team, said: “Although there was no evidence that Azad had met with a child while committing these offences, he is undoubtedly a paedophile whose behaviour was becoming increasingly concerning.
“He was brought to justice thanks to the dedication of officers.
“Their investigation was complex and difficult, and there will have been a personal cost for the officers involved in gathering such a large volume of disturbing evidence in order to ensure that Azad was made to answer for his crimes.”
