Jay Shaw and Katie Vernon

A couple who sexually assaulted children have been jailed after detectives discovered a hidden phone containing thousands of child abuse images — including evidence of their own offending.

Jay Shaw, 49, and his partner Katie Vernon, 31, both of Plank Lane, Leigh, were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today, Friday 23 October.

Shaw was jailed for nine and a half years, with a further five years on extended licence. Vernon received four and a half years in prison.

The investigation began when officers from Merseyside Police’s Online Child Abuse Investigations Team arrested another suspected offender. Evidence uncovered during that inquiry pointed to offending across force boundaries and a contact known as “A”.

Detectives identified that contact as Shaw and executed an emergency warrant at his Greater Manchester home on 1 July.

Inside, officers found a hidden phone containing thousands of indecent images of children and evidence of sexual assaults.

The device also contained images of Vernon sexually assaulting a young boy. She was subsequently arrested.

Shaw admitted four sexual assaults against a female child and one sexual assault against a male child.

He also pleaded guilty to making and possessing more than 5,000 indecent images of children, including just over 3,000 Category A images — the most serious classification.

His further offences included distributing indecent images of children and possessing a manual containing instructions on how to abuse children.

Vernon admitted one count of sexually assaulting a male child.

Both will remain on the sex offenders register for life and will be subject to lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Orders.