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07:00 - 21-July-2008
Investigators found 26 of the images and video clips downloaded by Robert Elcombe were of category four, the most serious category of child pornography being five.
Elcombe, 55, of Dryburgh Crescent, Ham, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to 14 charges, eight of possessing indecent photographs of children and six of making indecent photographs of children.
David Gittins, prosecuting, said Elcombe had 500,000 images in his computer system, of which half were estimated to be of children.
Elcombe was caught after an international child exploitation watchdog, monitoring a Dutch website, informed police of computers accessing the site.
Elcombe's home was raided and his computer and an external hard drive seized.
Elcombe told the Child Abuse Investigation Team he had no sexual interest in children and had done it while depressed following the death of his mother and close friend. He knew it was wrong and illegal.
Paul Bitmead, defending, described the images, which included 276 movie files, as “revolting and horrible”, but pointed out most were at the bottom of the scale.
Recorder Philip Haywood said the worst of the images were “filthy and disgusting”.
He also said he couldn't understand Elcombe's assertion these were “just children modelling in studios” – an apparent attempt to distance himself from the truth.
He said: “These are real children subjected to indignity and abuse by people who make money in this horrible way.
“Their bodies are violated and exploited by unscrupulous people for people like you to view on the internet.”
Recorder Haywood said there was no point in jailing Elcombe, who had no previous criminal record, for a short period, as he would not be in prison long enough to receive treatment.
He said: “I don't want the public to think your offences are not regarded as serious by this court.
“But there is a more constructive way of dealing with you to ensure no repetition.”
On each of the 14 counts, he imposed concurrent 12-month jail sentences suspended for two years, with a supervision order for two years.
He ordered Elcombe to attend the Internet Sex Offender Treatment Programme, imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from internet access and ordered him to remain on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.
He also ordered the seized computer equipment and material to be destroyed.
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NO JAIL: Robert Elcombe was handed a suspended term
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