A PAEDOPHILE who watched videos of babies and toddlers being raped was caught after police acted on a tip-off.

Rhys McCloy’s Newport home was raided just before Christmas where officers found 121 child abuse films and photographs on an iPhone and other electronic devices.

Andrew Davies, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “The indecent images were of children aged between one years old and nine years old.

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“The majority of these were of babies and toddlers being raped by adult males.”

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McCloy, 22, now of Beaufort Hill, Beaufort, Ebbw Vale, pleaded guilty to making 57 category A images, 45 category B images and 19 category C images.

He also admitted one charge of possession of a prohibited image of a child.

The offences took place last year between January 1 and December 23.

Ben Waters, representing the defendant, said his client was a man of previous good character with no convictions who had suffered a “dramatic fall from grace”.

McCloy was working with the Gwent Drug & Alcohol Service to address problems with his drinking.

He was also in contact with the Stop It Now! programme which aims to prevent child sexual abuse.

Judge Daniel Williams told the defendant: “The police attended your home on December 23, 2021 and three devices were recovered the interrogation of which revealed a number of indecent images.

“Many of those images were in the most serious category and very many of those images involved images of babies being abused in the most devasting way.

“You have a sexual interest in the vile abuse of extremely young children.”

McCloy was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years.

The defendant must attend an accredited sex offender programme and complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order until 2032.

McCloy was also ordered to pay £720 prosecution costs and a £156 victim surcharge.