Blackpool paeodphile who had images of children and animals pretended he was a vigilante

When caught, Robin Parish, 63, of Beardshaw Avenue, Blackpool, tried to lie that he was a vigilante seeking to track and gain the trust of like minded paedophiles, but his claim was dismissed as "ridiculous" and "utterly deluded" by a judge.

When the court ordered his computer equipment to be destroyed, Parish asked for a computer cable back.

He had sent one image of a 10-year-old girl to another pervert, Preston Crown Court was told, and had an image involving an eight-year-old boy and an animal.

Prosecuting, Rachel Faux said between April 2015 and June 2018 he made indecent photographs - eight at category A, two at category B and 19 at category C - and also possessed a category B image, 11 category C pictures, and 64 extreme pornographic images involving women and dogs.

He came to the attention of police on June 6, 2018 as result of an operation in another part of the country, which led officers to investigate him.

His home was searched with a warrant, with a large number of electronic devices seized and examined.

Parish admitted seven charges linked to the images.

Guy Wyatt, defending, said he was effectively a man of previous good character, who suffered severe problems with his back following a powerboat accident, and an aortic aneurysm.

He said defendants like Parish, who find it difficult to come to terms with their offending, are the very people who ought to be placed on very difficult sex offender treatment courses.

Judge Philip Parry, sentencing him to a three year community order - including a sexual offenders programme - said: "I had to look at a schedule which described the sort of imagery you had made and were in possession of, including the rape of a child aged between two and four...utterly vile and repulsive imagery that you were in possession of, I have no doubt, for sexual gratification despite your protestations to the contrary.

"People like you contribute to the ongoing abuse of children around the world.

"Make no mistake, you are a contributor to the online worldwide trade of child abuse."

He imposed a sexual harm prevention order for ten years and ordered him to sign the Sex Offender's register for five years.