A convicted sex offender found with thousands of indecent images on a hidden phone was told by a judge he caused him "upmost" concern.

Daniel Hirst, 42, was on early release from a three year sentence for sex offences, when police carried out a check in November, last year.

Officers found he was in breach of his order as he had a phone he had not informed them about containing more than 1731 images in the most serious category, Norwich Crown Court was told.

Lynne Shirley prosecuting, said that Hirst was subject to a indefinite sexual harm prevention order, under which he should have disclosed any devices he had in his possession.

She said the phone with a thousands of images was found on charge by his bed when police carried out a search and she said some of the images found dated back to 2012.

She said as a result of his breach he had been returned to jail.

Hirst of Yarmouth Road, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, admitted downloading indecent images and being in breach of his order and was jailed 30 months.

Judge Andrew Shaw told Hirst he was someone who tried to deceive professionals trying to manage the clear risk he posed: "You are a really troubling man."

He said although some images had been downloaded in 2012 there were others which were more recent and said: "You cause me to have the upmost concern about you."

Judge Shaw said Hirst had been sent to prison in the past for having indecent images and completed a sex offenders course but said: "You are just not getting the message."

He said that he was already on the sex offenders register.

Andrew Oliver, for Hirst, accepted it had been a serious breach but said that he had downloaded an app to the phone which had then transferred the images.

"The app was one he had downloaded prior to his last incarceration."

"He accepts he did not tell police about the phone and he knows he has been foolish."

He said that Hirst denied a sexual interest in children and said he had deleted the app.