A paedophile who made screen recordings of conversations he had with children on social media has been jailed.

Yousef Khouli, 29, was arrested after officers carried out a warrant at his home in Burgess Springs, Chelmsford in March last year.

Officers from the Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT) had received information indecent images of children had been accessed from that address.

During the search of his home a mobile phone, hard drive, and laptop were seized.

A forensic examination of the devices found they contained 4,740 indecent images of children.

Officers also discovered he had made screen recordings of Snap Chat conversations he’d had with 31 children, all of which are believed to be under the age of 16.

He was charged and at Chelmsford Crown Court on 26 May this year admitted five counts of taking indecent images of children, five counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of making indecent images of children, three counts of distributing indecent images of children, one count of possession of prohibited images, and one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

At the same court on Friday, he was sentenced to four years in prison, a five year extended licence, place on the Sexual Offenders’ Register for life, and has been given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

Investigating officer PC Dave Goodrum, from POLIT, said: “Yousef Khouli targeted young boys and girls using social media and built up a library of indecent images for his own gratification.

“He poses a very real danger to children and I am glad we have been able to put him behind bars.

“There is nothing more important than protecting children and young people from predators who are intent on exploiting and abusing them.

“This is work we carry out every day to keep your family safe.”