A MAN who spent six years amassing tens of thousands of "disturbing and graphic" images of child abuse met a single mum on Tinder after changing his name.

James Haw - who is now known as James France - failed to inform police of the change in his name. He was arrested after confessing his history to his new partner, who then told police.

Police say they will not release a custody image of the defendant, who appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday, June 9 to admit seven counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and four counts of failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders' register.

Ellie Fargin, prosecuting, said the woman had Googled 'James France' when she first met him. There was no information to concern her online, and the two formed a relationship.

The defendant, now 39, met the woman's children, although the court heard he was "careful" not to be left alone with them at any time.

However, France eventually told the woman he had "been done" for looking at images of underage children online, and admitted the offences were "really bad". She then contacted police.

The defendant, who took out credit cards and applied for a passport under his new name, had also downloaded software DuckDuckGo to hide internet searches.

He was jailed for 18 months in February 2016 after admitting ten counts of possessing indecent photographs of children, one of possessing an extreme pornographic image and two of distributing indecent images. The volume of images was so high that investigators were unable to view and categorise all of them.

Victoria Hill, mitigating for the most recent set of offences, said those convicted of such crimes are 'stigmatised'.

"His offences were reported in the media and at the very accessible click of a button someone could gain an impression of him he feels is not the right one," she said.

France, of Balmoral Road in Poole, was "perfectly entitled" to change his name, Ms Hill said, adding: "He was looking for a meaningful relationship with an adult, and that is what started to commence."

Judge Richard Onslow said France had made a "determined attempt to get around [the SHPO's] terms". France was sentenced to a three-year community order with a sex offender programme requirement. The defendant must also carry out 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 220 hours of unpaid work.

A spokesperson from Dorset Police said: "Officers with knowledge of the case consider a range of factors before a custody image is released, such as safeguarding of the victims, defendants and other members of the public, including family members of those involved, as well as any ongoing cases that could be prejudiced and impact on the local community.

"In sexual offence cases the final decision is made by a superintendent who has considered all the relevant risk factors."

A spokesperson from the NSPCC said: "France has brazenly disregarded the law by not complying with the restrictions that were placed on him.

“These orders are imposed for a reason – to protect children from convicted sex offenders."