A DISGRACED community support officer who swapped Crystal Meth for child pornography has been jailed for two years.

James Wicks was described as "simply sickening" after admitting to possessing the lurid films and photos.

Following his arrest it was found he had discussed travelling to Thailand to rape children with friends.

Wicks, 35, of Basingtoke, also shared a number of explicit movies through Skype.

As a PCSO Wicks worked in Reading from October 2012 to October 2015.

Following the sentence, John Montague, senior district crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in Wessex said: "This case is simply shocking and disturbing.

"The movies found in possession of James Wicks can be described as some of the worst type classified as category A seen by experienced officers in the child abuse team.

"The idea that some individuals find these scenes ‘enjoyable’ and download such images for their own sexual gratification is simply sickening and very disturbing. Their actions contribute to the continuous sexual abuse of children."

Appearing today (Wednesday) at Winchester Crown Court Wicks was sentenced to a total of two years' imprisonment.

Mr Montague added: "The fact that James Wicks a PCSO for Thames Valley Police had in his possession these movies and images, is even more alarming. His duty was to care for the community, not to pose a serious risk.

"Wicks had admitted attending a friend’s address and taking with him Crystal Meth which he shared for the purposes of sexual pleasure and in exchange for indecent movies of children.

"Internet based chats were retrieved from Mr Wicks' computer which included conversations between himself and like-minded people discussing him travelling to Thailand to rape children with friends."

Deputy Chief Constable John Campbell of Thames Valley Police, said: "The actions of former PCSO James Wicks are absolutely reprehensible. He has shown complete disregard for the standards expected of him by committing such criminal offences.

"The harm the possession and distribution of these images will have caused their victims will be lasting and cannot be measured. Drugs also cause communities and users untold devastation and Wicks’ actions are completely contrary to what those in our force work to prevent.

"There is no place at all for those who commit such crimes as these within our force."

Wicks admitted to six counts of the possession of indecent images of children, one count of the distribution of indecent images of children and one count of being concerned in the supply of a class A drug.

He was sentenced to a total of two years' imprisonment at Winchester Crown Court on Wednesday.