A convicted sex offender found with more than 2,800 indecent images of children after "championing" child abuse online, a court has heard.
Stephen Paddock, who was jailed in 2013 for indecent images offences as well as breaching a court order, was arrested in in Norfolk in June 2024.
Norwich Crown Court heard it was after the 59-year-old was found to be "championing sexual abuse of children" and distributing images online via a KiK account.
Police executed a warrant at the address of Paddock, whose Facebook page shows he was affiliated to the RAF Regiment's Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC).
Martin Ivory, prosecuting, said indecent images of children were found on a phone belonging to the defendant.
He said children in the images were "very young indeed" with females aged between four and six and seven and nine identified.
In all, 1,072 images and 485 videos of Class A - the most serious - were found.
Officers also discovered 989 images and 115 videos of Class B material and 838 Class C images as well as 84 videos.
Paddock, formerly of Old Turnpike Road, Roughton, near Cromer, but now of Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, appeared for sentencing on Thursday.
It was after he admitted three counts of making indecent images of children, two offences of distributing indecent images of children and possession of extreme pornographic images.
He also admitted two breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) - formerly a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) - and failing to comply with notification requirements.
Emma Lloyd, mitigating, accepted Paddock had an "unenviable record" although said he had not offended since 2013 which was a "significant gap".
She said Paddock was a full-time carer for his partner.
She said he assists her "with everything" and insisted others, including her, would be impacted were he to be sent to prison.
She also said he is due to see a specialist after cancerous cells were identified.
Recorder John Hardy said Paddock, who was "no stranger to these courts", had once again committed "vile and utterly reprehensible offences".
But giving Paddock credit for his pleas and taking into account the impact on his partner Recorder Hardy imposed three years' custody, suspended for three years.
Paddock was also ordered to complete 15 days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) as well as £500 costs.
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