A PAEDOPHILE caught with child sex abuse images on his computer claimed he had been hacked or the victim of a virus.

Daniel Cox maintained the lie right up until the day of trial when he changed his mind, came clean and admitted the offences.

Police raided the 30-year-old’s home in January 2020 after they’d received a tip-off, Cardiff Crown Court was told.

Roger Griffiths, prosecuting, said: “When he was interviewed, he said he was not guilty and it must have been that he was the victim of some sort of hacking or some form of virus.”

The defendant, of High Street, Pontypool, admitted possession of 14 category A, 18 category B, 32 category C and one prohibited image of a child.

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Cox has one previous conviction for harassment.

Kevin Seal, representing him, said in mitigation: “There has been a complete volte-face as far as the defendant is concerned and he now fully accepts his involvement in these offences.

“So perhaps that’s his first step on the road to rehabilitation for what he said to the probation officer which he has not admitted previously for reasons of embarrassment or the like.”

Judge Timothy Petts told the defendant: “In January 2020, police attended your house after reports of images of child sexual abuse being downloaded there.

“You claimed you had been hacked and maintained that allegation all the way through until the day of your trial.

“The most serious images are in category A.

“There are some very young children involved but there’s no evidence of moving images or searching for them.

“The images were created it seems over a 10-month period.”

Cox was jailed for 58 weeks, suspended for 24 months.

He was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, complete a sex offender programme and a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

The defendant must register as a sex offender for the next 10 years and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order until 2032.

Cox is barred from working with children and vulnerable adults and has to pay the statutory victim surcharge.