A PAEDOPHILE caught with child sex abuse videos and photographs told police they were “just a bit of banter and fun”.

Dean Coles, 48, of Schooner Avenue, Newport, also got a 15-year-old schoolgirl to send him explicit pictures of herself on Twitter.

Susan Ferrier, prosecuting, said the grandfather was arrested just before Christmas after Gwent Police were tipped off by the National Crime Agency.

She told Cardiff Crown Court: “Officers executed an arrest warrant and numerous electrical devices were seized.

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“The defendant told his wife, ‘It’s not good. There’s stuff on there.’

“When he was being transported into custody, he said he knew there was stuff on there but didn’t see any harm in it.

“He said there were no little ones, referring to small children.

“The defendant said it was just a bit of banter and fun.”

Miss Ferrier added: “He told them he was bored because of the pandemic.”

Coles was also in contact with an unidentified 15-year-old girl on social media and she sent him sexual pictures of her herself.

Coles pleaded guilty to possessing three class A, two class B and six class C video or still images of a child.

He also admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a girl under the age of 16.

Claire Pickthall, mitigating, said her client was a man of previous good character with no convictions recorded against him.

She told the court Coles was capable of being rehabilitated and was assessed as posing a low risk of reoffending.

Miss Pickthall added: “His actions have wreaked havoc, not only on his life, but on the life of his wife and family.”

His partner was standing by him, his barrister said.

Coles had already served the near equivalent of a four-month jail sentence since being remanded in custody following his arrest on December 10, 2020.

The judge, Recorder IWL Jones, told him: “I am satisfied you did this for your own sexual gratification.

“It wasn’t banter, it wasn’t fun, in your words to the police.

“Real children are sexually abused in these videos.”

Coles was jailed for eight months, suspended for two years.

He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

The defendant must register as a sex offender for 10 years and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order until 2031.