[A] PENSIONER who downloaded hundreds of illegal images of children, including babies, has been jailed.
Michael Smallbone, 69, was caught out after police swooped on his Carlisle home earlier this year.
Analysis of seized computer equipment revealed the presence of 618 illegal images – more than half of which were recovered using specialist software having been deleted.
Carlisle Crown Court heard 131 still photographs and 30 movies were classed in category A – the most serious. A prosecutor revealed the ages of the featured children – mostly girls – ranged “from nought to 10”.
It also emerged Smallbone had been handed a prison sentence in 2003 for previous child porn crimes.
He was punished for his latest offending after admitting three counts of making indecent photographs of children, and one possession charge.
“You are a determined offender,” Judge Peter Davies told Smallbone, of Hartington Place, Carlisle, “and you will go to prison.”
A 16-month jail term was handed down by Judge Davies, who ordered Smallbone to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register and abide by sexual harm prevention order terms, both indefinitely.
