A PAEDOPHILE, who said he only turned to child sex offending after he was run over by a car, today had his sentence slashed by appeal court judges.

Christopher John Court, 34, who preyed on a young girl, was caught with hundreds of images of sick child porn after a tip-off from the United States.

Court, of Oate Hill, Chippenham, admitted a string of offences at Swindon Crown Court and was given a 14-year custodial term in November.

But three senior judges said that was too tough and slashed Court's punishment to 12 years at the Court of Appeal today.

Mr Justice Nicol said the offences were serious, but the term he got was 'manifestly excessive'.

The court heard Court admitted eight child porn offences, as well as actual attacks on a girl, who was not yet 13.

He came to the attention of police after a tip-off from the US Department of Homeland Security in 2012.

The US had linked a British email account - held by Court - to a series of child porn offences.

When his home was searched, officers found computer equipment, on which was stored hundreds of images of child abuse.

Some images showed him engaging in sex acts with a child, proving he was guilty of actual abuse.

Court said he had been interested in pornography since he was a teenager but only viewed illegal material after sustaining a head injury in an accident.

Today, his lawyers argued before Lord Justice Jackson, Mr Justice King and Mr Justice Nicol that his sentence was too long.

Giving judgment, Mr Justice Nicol said: "These were serious offences. Even after his arrest, he seemed unable to curb his appetite for illegal child pornography.

"That said, we have to ask ourselves whether a total custodial term of 14 years was outside the range of what the recorder could properly impose.

"In our judgment, it was outside that range."

Court's custodial term was cut to 12 years, but an extended licence allowing him to be monitored for five years after that will remain in place.

The decision means he will be in prison for at least eight years, but no more than 12, before release on licence.