A SERIAL sex fiend - involved in child sex related offences for 20 years - has been jailed once more.

Detectives had been keeping convicted paedophile Paul Emsley under observation, as a registered sex offender, when an officer visited him at a bail hostel in Accrington on September 3.

Preston Crown Court heard the 52-year-old was noticeably agitated and asked the detective if they could talk in a kitchen, rather than his room

David Clark, prosecuting, said the officer persisted and asked whether he had any mobile phones in his possession, which he denied.

His online behaviour, for offences involving the possession of indecent images of children, was being monitored as part of a sexual harm prevention order imposed at Carlisle Crown Court in February 2019, the court heard.

Mr Clark said when he moved out of a chair, the detective spotted a mobile phone, which was seized. Emsley also said he had a second mobile.

He also told the officers that three indecent images of children were likely to be found on the devices.

Interviewed later, following his arrest, Emsley said he had bought the two mobiles at a flea market. He also confessed he had obtained the three naked images of the children via a WhatsApp connection.

The court heard Emsley's criminal record stretched back to 1999, when he was jailed for three years after being convicted of indecent assault and buggery.

For either failing to notify the authorities of his address or possessing or making indecent images, he has now served no fewer than six prison sentences since then.

Emsley, formerly from Padiham, but more recently of Lydia Street, Accrington, had only been released from a 32-month jail term, from Carlisle. for a matter of weeks before his latest arrest.

Mr Clark said his mobile phones were still being examined to see whether they contained any indecent images. He may face further charges if this is the case.

Robert Elias, defending, said the defendant had been before the courts on a number of occasions but had always "chosen to go his own way".

"This defendant has views about his sexual proclivities which are not going to be changed by any sentence," he added.

Jailing Emsley for 32 months, Judge Phillip Parry warned him the jail terms for his offending were only like to increase in length unless he changed his ways.