Predators who recorded themselves sexually abusing young children before stashing the videos away to watch later have been put behind bars.

Mark Gable, 33, and Jessica Fry, 27, struck up a “toxic” relationship in 2016.

Together, they set up mobile phone cameras to record their sickening molestation of children, including a baby, before storing the images on hard drives.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard how officers first searched Mr Gable’s home, in Edward Paxman Gardens, Colchester, on May 30 this year.

They were investigating the potential viewing and downloading of indecent images of children.

Wayne Cleaver, prosecuting, said: “Various items of electronic equipment were seized.

“When examined, these items contained both stills and video clips depicting indecent images of children.”

The sexual offences against young children were carried out over 18 months, starting in December 2017.

They included the assault of a baby, two young children and the filming of a naked toddler.

As the investigation progressed, police uncovered damning messages sent between the pair revealing their involvement.

Mr Cleaver said: “On June 10 this year police found a WhatsApp message sent by Mr Gable to Miss Fry in which he stated to her ‘did you do anything?’

“This was followed by ‘put the volume down on a video in case the video has sound.’

“There was clear instruction from him to her that if she is going to make these videos she needs to in some way reduce the possibility of anyone identifying those involved.

“A number of sexualised WhatsApp messages were sent between the two, found on Miss Fry’s phone and transmitted between November 2016 and April 2019.

“They demonstrated perverted sexual interests, including references to children, nappies and baby-sitting.”

Gable was arrested at the end of May and interviewed on June 7 this year.

He initially denied any of the videos were made for sexual gratification, insisting he was just “being silly”.

Mr Cleaver said: “He said when he touched her she cried in discomfort not because of what he was doing, but because of the position her head was in.

“He said the camera was set up in the room to capture paranormal activity and was automatically activated by motion.

“That, of course, was absolute rubbish.

"The camera was positioned so as to record what he was doing. The images were still there, available for his viewing, at the end of May.

“The next day, on June 8, he was interviewed again about images found on other devices.”

As the truth unravelled, Gable admitted he had downloaded indecent images of children and had made what he called “nappy videos.”

He said he would later look at the videos “now and then” together with Fry.

Fry was arrested and interviewed in June.

She had previously provided a significant witness statement to police, denying any involvement or even knowledge of the offences committed by her boyfriend.

In interview, she again distanced herself from the crimes, but the evidence was clear.

Mr Cleaver said: “The prosecution case is that she was a willing participant in all of this.

“Miss Fry knew all about it and was prepared to facilitate repeat offending and become involved in it.

“It is clear the two defendants were acting together in the systematic sexual exploitation of children.”

Fry was not only filmed abusing a child, but also forwarded on a video clip of a naked unknown girl.

Allan Compton, mitigating on behalf of Gable, said his client’s actions were “unforgivable.”

He pointed to his previous clean record and early guilty plea as mitigating factors.

Citing a pre-sentence report, Mr Compton said Gable, who previously worked as a carer in a brain injury unit, had shown a degree of remorse.

He said: “He tried to stop but couldn’t. That is the nature of an addiction.

“The two of them together created this toxicity, sharing as they did interests of this nature.”

Peter Spary, mitigating for Fry, said his client had “idolised” Gable.

He said: “She accepts she was a willing participant.

“I would suggest in terms of putting it into words that it was a supporting role.”

He added: “I would agree the relationship was toxic, but at the same time that doesn’t necessarily automatically mean it is a relationship of equals.

"I would suggest it was not.”

Gable and Fry were sentenced for multiple sexual offences at a hearing on Friday.

Gable admitted to three counts of assault by penetration of a child, one count of sexual assault of a child, four counts of taking indecent images of children, and three counts of making indecent images of children.

Fry admitted to one count of assault by penetration of a child, one count of sexual assault of a child, three counts of taking indecent images of children and two counts of distributing indecent images of children.

Gable was jailed for 11 and-a-half years followed by a further eight on licence, while Fry was sentenced to 10 years behind bars.

Both will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Gable admitted possessing hundreds of indecent images, including 149 still images and three videos of the most serious Category A, 151 still images and one video of Category B and 994 still images and four videos of Category C.

Judge Jonathan Seely considered Gable a dangerous offender and said he posed a “grave risk” to the most vulnerable people in society.

He said: “The dreadful effects of your offending are plain to see.

“It is not just a question of the awful effect on your direct victims, but it spreads out and causes so much damage to the lives of so many people, all for your selfish gratification.”

Mothers of victims: 'We don't know how we will move on'

Heartfelt victim impact statements were heard in court, with the mother of one victim taking to the witness box to tell of the lasting impact of the abuse her child had suffered.

She said: “You hear on the news about children being abused, but you never think it will be your children.

“I feel vulnerable, I don’t trust anyone with my children.

“I don’t feel comfortable with other children.

“At a family party I found myself unable to interact with the children there as I normally would do.

“Mark and Jessica’s crimes have torn our family apart and it can never be repaired.

“I struggle to sleep at night.

"No sentence for either of them, in my view, will be long enough.

“They are sexual predators.”

The mother of another victim said when she discovered what had happened to her child, she was immediately physically sick.

She said: “This has been a living nightmare.

“It is worse than most things you can find on television and I cannot imagine how any of us will ever be able to cope with it, let alone move on from it.”

Judge Seely paid tribute to their courage in attending court and giving statements.

Addressing the mother who read her statement from the witness box, he said: “Thank you very much for the dignity and courage with which you read that.

“All of the statements are infused with the pain you have suffered and continue to suffer.”

Reflecting on the lengthy investigation which led to the conviction, Det Con Jeanine Atkins-Calver, from the North Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “Mark Gable and Jessica Fry are dangerous and methodical paedophiles.

“Gable and Fry worked together to not only abuse very young children, but also documented that abuse for their own gratification.

“Their crimes are horrific. To subject anyone to sexual abuse is abhorrent but when that victim is so young it is unimaginable.

“They are a danger to the public. I am pleased they both now face a significant time behind bars.”