A PAEDOPHILE spared a jail sentence was back online trying to “perv” over a man’s daughter just two months later.

Stephen Waddingham was given a suspended sentence for possessing vile images of child sex abuse in Crawley.

He admitted possessing the disgusting images when he appeared before Lewes Crown Court, and was also put under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The order was designed to stop his access to children and computer devices capable of searching, storing, and deleting photos or videos of horrific sex abuse.

But the 60-year-old went back online just weeks after avoiding prison by "a whisker".

He asked a man who shared a photo of his wife and daughter how old they were, and was told they were aged 32 and 14.

“Do they know you perv over them?” Waddingham asked. He also asked the man if his daughter had seen the man naked.

Waddingham was jailed for two years and two months for breaching his suspended sentence and breaking the terms of the sexual harm prevention order.

Her Honour Judge Janet Waddicor said: "You came within a whisker of going to prison, but how seriously did you take it? The answer is not at all.”

Rowan Jenkinson, prosecuting, said Waddingham was originally dealt with for possessing prohibited images of children in October 2020.

The images and videos found included those in category A, which depict the most depraved forms of sexual abuse.

A police officer had gone to explain the terms of the sexual harm prevention order to Waddingham just three weeks before he was back online.

Waddingham asked a man: “Is that your wife and daughter?”

After being told they were he wrote: “Nice, you are lucky to perv over them.”

Waddingham claimed he did not know that he was in breach of the order. .

But Judge Waddicor said: “That does not wash with me. That is a pathetic excuse.”

Laura Plant, defending, said Waddingham had been working and complying with the probation service.

He had suffered the loss of his parents shortly before committing his first offences.

She said Waddingham, of Enfield Road, Crawley, should be allowed to begin his rehabilitation work on the order, and allowed to start his own business.

But Judge Waddicor disagreed. She said Waddingham knew how close he had come to immediately being sent to prison in October, and should have known not to commit any further offences of any kind, let alone for indulging his perverted fantasies.