A MAN who admitted distributing indecent images of children on social media has been spared jail.

James Ratcliffe, of Gwynant in Acrefair, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Thursday.

The 20-year-old had previously admitted a number of offences including making category b and c indecent images of children, distributing indecent images of children of categories a, b and c as well as possessing prohibited images and extreme images.

He was visited by police after referrals made to North Wales Police by a social media site about his uploading of indecent images.

His devices were taken and examined, and were found to contain hundreds of images of predominantly male children aged from six months to 15 years.

Officers were also concerned after finding a locked cash tin in his rucksack, which they found to contain children's underwear.

Andrew Green, defending, told the court: "It is important to flag the key features of the [pre-sentence] report, which makes it abundantly clear that this particular 20-year-old has significant learning disabilities, a low IQ and a maturity far below his chronological age.

"I recognise on his behalf that these offences are serious.

"The best that can be said is that mercifully the period involved in this case and the numbers that were discovered were relatively modest as compared with other cases of this type.

"There was a consultation with agencies before the police went round in order to discuss the mechanics of how they would speak to him and how he'd be handled during that process - the agencies recognised he had significant vulnerabilities."

Mr Green said the most "striking feature" is the way in which his family have responded, with his access to electronics and the internet having already been curtailed by relatives and him being accompanied when going outside.

Judge Nicola Jones told him: "Be aware of this; in order for these images to be produced, real children have been raped, tortured, and physically harmed.

"You now feel genuine disgust for what you have done, I am in no doubt of that."

The Judge handed Ratcliffe a number of concurrent suspended sentences for the making and distribution of indecent images of children, the most significant of which came to 16 months - but it was suspended for 24 months.

No separate penalty was imposed for the possession of extreme or prohibited images.

Ratcliffe was ordered to undertake 60 rehabilitation activity days and was made the subject of a 10 year sexual harm prevention order.

A victim surcharge of 156 was also imposed.

Make sure you don't miss the top court stories of the week by signing up to our free court newsletter