A Falmouth man has narrowly avoided jail after pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of children as young as 18 months, including some in the worst category.

Brian Tidball, 57, of Marlborough Road, pleaded guilty in January to possessing indecent photographs and movies of children, and returned to Truro Crown Court today (10/2) to be sentenced.

Phillip Lee, for the Crown Prosecution Service, told the court that police had searched Tidball's home after receiving information about him in December 2014, and had found a laptop and a hard-drive containing the offending images.

Police found eight indecent still images of a child at category A, 132 stills and 24 movies at category B, and 152 stills and six movies at category C.

Mr Lee said Tidball admitted owning the laptop and hard-drive but "couldn't say why indecent images were on them."

He said: "He denied having an interest in that type of material, and told police a work colleague had been the only other person to have used the devices."

When police spoke to the colleague, Mr Lee said, he was very unhappy and said he had only been to Tidball's house once in 10 years.

When interviewed by police, Mr Tidball admitted looking at adult pornography and "conceded that he may have used search terms indicative or suggesting an interest in younger children," said Mr Lee, "search terms such as 'teen boys.'

"He had no special interest in boys under 18."

Mr Lee also told the judge that police examining the computer had found incriminating search terms, encryption software to restrict accessibility to data, and data including "images of very young children from about 18 months... three years in one case."

Judge Robert Lindford told Tidball that he met the criteria for a new rehabilitation programme, the Horizon Programme, and said that he had "expressed a genuine keenness to undertake that."

He said: "You have pleaded guilty to the possession of a significant quantity of indecent images of children. Eight of those were of the worst sort that the courts categorise.

"They represent the real abuse of children: this isn't something created in the ether... children are suffering when this material is created. If you're tempted again to view this material you need to remember that fact."

The judge noted Tidball was of previous good character and recognised his early guilty plea, and sentenced him to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, along with a 24 month supervision order, and an order to attend 29 Horizon programme sessions.

He was also ordered to pay £500 costs and will have to sign the sex offenders register for ten years.

An NSPCC spokesperson for South West England said after the sentencing: “The children in these pictures and videos, some of which fell into the most serious category of offending, are the victims of child abuse and the horrific experiences they endured for the images to be created should not be underestimated.

“Tidball’s actions have only helped to fuel this disgusting crime and destroy children's lives.

“More needs to be done to tackle the vile trade in indecent images of children and to cut this material off at the source by working with internet providers, but even then there is no guarantee that these images will ever disappear from the web.

“If anyone is concerned a child is being abused, they should call our helpline on 0808 800 5000.”