A RETIRED railway worker who downloaded more than 1,000 images of child pornography has avoided prison.

Keith Lindop, aged 60, collected indecent pictures and video clips on a computer and several discs.

He appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty earlier to possessing 1,160 indecent images of children.

The defendant, of Church Street, Stone, also admitted 13 offences of making indecent photographs of children. The court was told Lindop sold a computer in 2007. The buyer collected it from Lindop's former address in Fletcher Road, Stoke.

Steve Ash, prosecuting, said: "When he got home he found a folder called 'Keith's favourites'. It was apparent from the listings that there was likely to be child pornography. He contacted the police."

The computer was seized and officers found 39 indecent images of children, plus a film, on it.

Police later went to Fletcher Road and arrested Lindop. A search revealed computer discs containing more images of children.

Child pornography is graded from Level One to Five, Level Five being the most serious. Of the material seized from Lindop, 239 images and 16 videos were Level Four, and 16 images and two videos were Level Five.

Lindop was interviewed by police and admitted downloading the images. Alison Downs, defending Lindop, said: "He's bought shame on himself and his family, to the extent that his family have ostracised him."

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said if he jailed Lindop, the longest sentence he could impose would be eight months, so instead he gave him a three-year community order.

He said: "Before this you were a man of good character. Alas, over six years, you downloaded this material. All of it is unsettling, much of it is disgusting.

"It involved children from the age of about four years up to teenagers.

"I hope you now appreciate making this type of image involves exploitation, abuse and real harm can be afforded to these children."

Judge Trevor-Jones also imposed three-year supervision requirement and ordered Lindop to comply with any community sex offenders' programme he was assigned.

Lindop must remain on the sex offenders' register for five years.