A CONVICTED child sex offender has been jailed again for viewing illegal images of youngsters being abused — and expressing depraved fantasies during online chat.

Kenneth Burgess, now 56, was dubbed a “danger to children” by a judge who heard disturbing details of perverted pictures which had been found in his possession.

The prosecution (Brendan Burke, prosecuting,) told Carlisle Crown Court: “The police, acting on intelligence, attended at his address first of all, on August 1, and seized a Samsung mobile phone.

“On that were found indecent images of children.”

Thirteen of these — showing the serious penetrative sexual abuse of youngsters — were classed in category A, the most serious. Three were category B photographs and 75 category C.

“There were also 894 extreme images involving bestiality between human adults, animals, and young children and animals,” said the prosecutor (Mr Burke).

“In addition to that, on Facebook Messenger, were obscene chats in which the defendant was describing fantasies involving children; of rape and torture.

“Within these messages was a further offence of having an indecent (category C) image of a child. That was distributed to another person, using the platform, with similar interests.”

Burgess, of Bannisdale Way, Carlisle, had admitted six offences during a previous magistrates’ court hearing: three of making indecent photographs of children; possessing extreme pornographic imagery; distributing an indecent photograph of a child; and publishing an obscene article.

The court heard his previous convictions included robbery, grievous bodily harm and, in 2011, he was jailed for sexually abusing a child. He was later brought back to court and punished again for failing to comply with strict court orders made by the judge who locked him up.

During a sentencing hearing for the latest crimes on Monday, defence lawyer Jeff Smith said Burgess accepted a prison sentence would be imposed.

A probation officer had concluded there was no stable pathway for Burgess in the community at present.

“It is quite clear from his appearance (remotely, over a video link from custody) that he is not a healthy man, with breathing and mobility issues,” said Mr Smith.

Jailing Burgess for 16 months, Judge Michael Fanning told him: “You are a contact sex offender. With that in mind, and reading the contents of the (background) report, you have an obsessive sexual fascination with young females.

“Given an opportunity to reoffend, I don’t doubt you would take that opportunity.”

Judge Fanning concluded: “You are a danger to children. I bear all that in mind when fixing sentence in this case.”

Burgess remains subject to sex offender notification requirements.

His case will be mentioned again later this month by a judge who is due to consider an application by the prosecution for further restrictions on his liberty to be imposed in the form of a sexual harm prevention order.