An internet predator from Exminster has been jailed for exchanging images of child rape on the dark web and luring under-age girls into stripping off on webcam.

Joel Morter had hundreds of movies on his computer showing the most serious types of abuse of children as well as chat logs in which he made contact with young girls all over the world, Exeter Crown Court heard.

The 25-year-old computer nerd was caught red-handed by police reading child abuse stories online when they raided his home.

Checks on his equipment showed 274 movies of child abuse which were categorised at the most extreme level and some of which he was sharing over the dark web.

His laptop and iPhone showed he was also seeking out girls as young as ten in chat rooms and trying to get them to send sexual images. He told a 14-year-old: ‘Age does not matter. I like young girls and you are gorgeous.’

Morter, of Westfield, Exminster, previously of Cathedral Close, Exeter, admitted seven counts of making, and five of distributing, indecent images and two of attempting to incite children to watch or be involved child pornography.

He was jailed for 30 months by Judge Erik Salomonsen, who ordered him to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life and made him subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will allow the police to monitor his internet use.

He told him: ‘I has been said on your behalf that your crimes did not involve physical contact with children and were carried out over the internet.

‘It is a fact of modern life that many children access the internet and are exposed to the activities of other individuals much older than themselves who seek to contact them for their own sexual pleasure.

‘This may not involve physical contact but you were in touch and wished to be in touch with real children and it is not too extreme to use the word corruption.

‘The totality of your offending, particularly the extensive distribution and your activities or attempted activities with children, must be met by immediate custody.’

Caroline Bolt, prosecuting, said Morter was identified by police in America after images of serious abuse were intercepted and his home in Exeter was raided in May last year.

He was found in his bedroom reading a child abuse story on the internet. A total of 919 movies or images were found, including more than 250 movies showing child rape or other very serious abuse.

Chat logs were found which showed contact with 24 children, the youngest being ten. Some had been sent an image purporting to be his private parts without warning. He also used aliases to conceal his true identity.

Miss Bolt said: ‘He also sought or received images from people purporting to be children and analysis of his history showed he had been using the so-called dark web.’

Philip Brunt, mitigating, said Morter had suffered sexual abuse in the past which caused him depression and led him to drink and engage in disinhibited behaviour.

He is now tackling his problems and is working with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which helps users of internet pornography change their behaviour.