Christchurch man jailed over 'grotesque' child sex abuse material, described by judge as worst he's ever experienced

A man was jailed today at Christchurch District Court after being caught with thousands of horrific child sex abuse images.

A 24-year-old man has been jailed after being caught with thousands of "grotesque" child sex abuse images, described by a judge as the most offensive he's ever come across.

Joshua Alan Bainton, 24, admitted viewing a "vast" 13,400 files over a nine-month period, with victims from as young as 6 months old, up to about 14 years old, Christchurch District Court heard today.

The material was the "most repellent and grotesque material imaginable", Judge Tom Gilbert said.

As a prosecutor and judge of 15 years, Judge Gilbert said he couldn't remember material as offensive as this, "and that is saying something".

It was not a victimless crime, the judge said, saying that it was important to remember that at the end of the lens was "a little kid who has been abused" in the worst way imaginable.

He also used an online chat app in February this year to talk to another person about their desires to "touch little kids".

Bainton, of Christchurch, earlier pleaded guilty to five representative charges of possession of an objectionable publication.

The court heard that Bainton was considered a medium risk of reoffending, still lived at home, and recognised he needed help.

Defence counsel Elizabeth Bulger raised efforts that Bainton had made off his own back at rehabilitation, which the judge accepted, was to his credit.

Bainton was sentenced to three years in jail, and put on the child sex offenders' register.