TWO men from Chirk have been jailed for a series of sexual offences involving children.

Janos Barber, aged 28 and of Church View, and Samuel Clarke, aged 30 and of Chapel Lane, appeared before Mold Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday.

The court heard how both had previously admitted numerous offences including engaging in a sexual activity in the presence of a child and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

Barber was also sentenced in relation to the distribution of indecent images of children as well as an offence of voyeurism in which the court heard he made attempts to film children.

Additionally, Clarke was sentenced in relation to the possession of thousands of indecent images of children of varying categories of severity.

Simon Rogers, prosecuting, told the court how in June this year police executed a search warrant at Barber's address in Church View.

The warrant followed a referral from the mobile message app Kik to police regarding photos of children being uploaded.

Police found both defendants at the flat and a search of the property turned up mobile phones and electronic devices.

On those devices, investigators found evidence of both defendants having engaged in sexual activity in the presence of a child, as well as having attempted to incite the child to engage in the activity.

Thousands of indecent videos and images of children, falling into categories A, B and C were discovered.

In excess of 120,000 further images and videos which were not categorised were also found, Mr Rogers said.

Simon Kileen, defending Barber, said: "This 28-year-old has caused untold damage through his conduct.

"The fact he has spent some time in custody means he has had a chance to consider the impact of what he has done - that is an ongoing punishment for him. "He has destroyed his career. He was about to embark on the third year of his psychology degree."

Henry Hills, defending Clarke, told the court his client had an "addiction to child pornography and paedophilia." "He expresses feelings of revulsion at what he has done and in my submission those are genuine expressions," he said.

"He is someone who was caught up in distorted thought processes and paedophilic tendencies."

Sentencing the pair, Mr Recorder Duncan Bould said their behaviour would be regarded by "right-thinking members of the public" as "disgusting".

He described them both as dangerous offenders, jailing Clarke for six years and eight months, and Barber for eight years and ten months.

A sexual harm prevention order was made in relation to both men and Mr Bould said both would be subject to a lengthy period of protective license on their release.