A paedophile who was caught with indecent images of children as young as three has failed to register devices that could access the internet, and refused to give the police the passwords to them.

In 2015, Robert William Esson, 39, of Back Lane, Newton-in-Bowland, was given a indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Preston Crown Court heard the prevention order was part of a three-year jail sentence for making and distributing indecent images of children and attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child.

Prosecutor Rachel Oakdene told the court that on November 28, 2023, Lancashire Police attended Esson's address as part of a 'unexpected check' on his notification requirements of the order.

Police found a number of unregistered laptops, phones, tablets, hard drives and an Xbox that was unknown to the police, a direct breach of his requirements.

Ms Oakdene said Esson became abusive to the police and was then arrested for breach of his conditions and failure to comply by refusing to give the passwords to the devices.

In mitigation, James Heyworth told the court Esson had failed to register the devices due to being in a "dark place from the loss of his employment".

He also told the court Esson had already been in custody for 15 weeks and that it had been five years since his last breach.

Judge Guy Mathieson asked the prosecution why the police or the Crown Prosecution Service did not search the devices after they confiscated them, to which Ms Oakdene had no answer.

The court heard Esson had also breached the sexual harm prevention order in March 2018, for which he received a community order, with a sexual offender programme requirement.

Esson pleaded guilty to four counts of failure to comply with his notification requirements.

Judge Mathieson sentenced Esson to six months imprisonment.

He said: "I have had a lot of experience in these types of cases so I know how onerous the notification requirements of the prevention order can be.

"But they are there for a very good reason. You need to earn the police's trust before these requirements can be eased."