This Nottingham paedophile shared vile abuse pictures of young boys with a like-minded pervert who replied to one message by saying "wow that one is not even legal".
Police found almost 1,000 similar sick images when the raided the Forest Fields home of Graham Davies and seized his electronic devices.
Analysis showed he had used internet search terms such as "gay paedo," "incest," "bestiality" and "teen gay sex".
And some of the disgusting material he had downloaded showed boys as young as three being sexually abused by adult males.
Handing the 40-year-old a 16-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, Judge James Sampson said: "There are victims here.
"Every child involved in this sort of activity is a victim, they are a real person being abused by an adult.
"And participation by viewing this material is participation in the abuse of these children.
"Over some time you were involved in the downloading and distribution of these illegal pornographic images of children.
"And distribution of this sort of material inevitably means a custodial sentence must be imposed."
Andrew Howarth, prosecuting, said police executed a warrant as Davies' home in Wiverton Road on December 13 last year.
He said they had received intelligence an internet address linked to the defendant had been downloading the horrific images and movies.
Mr Howarth said they found 242 of the most serious category A images and films which typically show adults and young children involved in full sexual activity.
He said there were a 193 category B and 560 category C.
Mr Howarth described what was on some of the images which are too graphic for publication.
He said: "They were all of boys aged three to 16 and he shared a small number with a friend over WhatsApp.
"His friend replied to one images saying 'wow that last one is not even legal, haha' to which the defendant replied back 'Lol, he is kind of baby-faced.
"When he was interviewed by the police he said he started looking at pornography and found himself going down what he called 'a rabbit hole'."
Davies pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and three counts of distribution of them.
He has no previous convictions of any kind.
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Martyn Hynes, mitigating, said his client is in full-time employment, has stable accommodation and in a "positive relationship" with a partner.
He said: "He is deeply ashamed of himself and disgusted by his own behaviour.
"He is incredibly frightened at the prospect of going to prison where these offences will make him vulnerable in the prison environment."
As part of the suspended sentence Judge Sampson ordered Davies to attend 25 rehabilitation sessions and pay £425 costs.
He placed him on the sex offender register for five years and handed him a five-year sexual harm prevention order.
