A "DEPRAVED" man watched babies being abused while bragging to other about sexual acts he wanted to carry out on youngsters.

Chris Hatherley viewed live streams of the indecent material as he chatted to other users of an online application and requested videos of children crying due the sexual assaults they were subjected to.

In some instances, the child being abused was a baby and in others was aged between two and three-years-old, Southampton Crown Court heard.

Police searched the 35-year-old's home following online information, seizing his computers and mobile phone.

Although no indecent images were found, Jane Terry, prosecuting, told the court a disturbing set of communications with other users of apps such as 'Kick' were present.

In some of the conversations, Miss Terry said, Hatherley would comment on how much he enjoyed the material and also what acts he wanted to carry out on the abused himself.

He was subsequently arrested.

Miss Terry added: "In his interview Hatherley said he had a huge problem and was crying. He said at the time he was under the influence of drugs. He explained he did not know why it started."

Joanne Chester, mitigating, told the court at the time of his offending, which took place between January and March 2017, Hatherley was in the depths of drug addiction.

She said Hatherley was "ashamed by his clearly depraved behaviour" and had sought help to stop his drug addiction and his offending.

The moment Hatherley opted to turn his life around was when he woke up in London in a flat with people he did not know, Miss Chester said.

Judge Nicholas Rowland said: "These images represent dreadful abuse of babies and children. It's serious.

"And it's because of people like you that they are made because an audience wants to watch it."

Hatherley, of Arnheim Road, Bassett, pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting the commission of an either way offence.

He was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, which includes the requirement to complete at least 45 days rehabilitation activity requirements and 150 hours unpaid work.

A sexual harm prevention order was made, which banned Hatherley from using a chat room for 10 years.

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