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A "calculating and depraved" paedophile who changed his name so he could continue "preying on vulnerable young people" has been jailed.

Mason Maxwell, 34, previously known as Kane Hutchinson, was found to have indecent images of children stored on electronic devices at his home in Salford in 2022.

Police said he had changed his identity via deed poll after moving from Gateshead.

He pleaded guilty to a number of offences and was sentenced to three years in jail and placed on the sex offenders register for life.

A tip-off in 2021 led police to start an investigation into Maxwell.

Officers raided his address on Clowes Street in Salford in 2022 and took several devices that were analysed and revealed to hold indecent images and video of children.

Maxwell was sentenced for one count of taking an indecent video of a child, three counts of taking indecent images of a child, two counts of making an indecent image of a child, and three counts of distributing an indecent image of a child.

He was also given a sexual harm prevention order for 15 years.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said Maxwell had been sharing the images and "bragging about his deplorable illicit sexual endeavours to whoever would listen".

Det Con Ben Swapp said he was depraved individual who took extraordinary measures to change his name to continue offending.

Maxwell had given "endless excuses for his predatory behaviour" during a police interview, he added.

"He showed no remorse for his actions, refusing to consider the effect his deplorable behaviour had on the young victims and their families."

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