Seth Kneller ploughed his Kia Ceed into the gates protecting the prime minister's central London residence in May - causing the outer gates to swing open.

In a TikTok video posted earlier that day, the 43-year-old blamed politicians for society's ills and said "someone has to pay".

Kneller, from Crewe, Cheshire, was quickly detained by armed police. At the scene, he told them: "I need help."

He was suffering a "mental health breakdown" at the time of the crash, according to his barrister.

When Kneller's phone was later examined as part of the police investigation into the crash, officers found it contained incident images of children.

He pleaded guilty to a count of dangerous driving earlier this month and two of making indecent images of children at a hearing in June.

On Tuesday, at Southwark Crown Court, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years.

In sentencing, Judge Christopher Hehir said Kneller had launched an "attack on democracy".

"You quite deliberately performed a highly dangerous manoeuvre," he said.

"There was a real risk of serious injury or death to police officers or innocent members of the public.

"You chose to launch a violent attack on a place which is a government location and in many ways a symbol of democracy.

"Your violent attack on it must be regarded by the courts as being of the utmost seriousness."

On the incident images charge, Judge Hehir said: "You are not guilty of any contact abuse of children, but if it was not for people like you who consume these images, the abuse in question would most likely not take place."

The judge said the defendant's lack of previous convictions, early guilty pleas, the fact he has served the equivalent of an eight-month prison sentence, mental health and "good prospect" of rehabilitation persuaded him to spare the defendant jail.

Kneller must complete 30 rehabilitation days and 27 days of a separate rehabilitation programme as part of his sentence.

He was also banned from driving for 18 months, can no longer use the phone and car used in the offending.

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The court heard how the incident took place on 25 May when Kneller smashed his car into the gates of Downing Street.

The car's impact caused the outer gates to swing open and the main gates to shake, Southwark Crown Court was told on Tuesday.

Officers with firearms shouted "armed police" and detained Kneller after his car came to a stop.

Kneller told officers he had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism and asked: "What is there to live for anymore?"

As he was being detained, he told them he had "had enough".

Prosecutor Alex Krikler said Kneller's actions were "pre-planned and deliberate", which "clearly raised concerns" the attack was a terrorist one.

He added: "He was well aware that armed officers were on duty and that the consequences of his actions could have been catastrophic."

In mitigation, his barrister Charles Hannaford said his client was suffering from a "mental health breakdown" at the time of the Downing Street crash.

He added: "This is not an individual who has thought through the consequences of their actions and how they would affect another individual."

When Kneller's phone was examined as part of the police investigation it was found to contain three category A indecent images of children, the most serious type, and five category C images.

The victims depicted were aged eight to 12.

Kneller was found to have accessed a website known to contain indecent images of children 393 times.

He was made the subject of a seven-year sexual harm prevention order as part of his sentence.

After being sentenced, Kneller told the judge: "Thank you, I am very grateful, your honour."