A 55-YEAR-OLD man with more than 16,000 child porn pictures on home computers escaped a jail sentence at Gloucester Crown Court on Friday

Police discovered former sailor Russell Harding's disturbing collection of indecent images after tracing visits to websites.

The court was told officers found 16,560 pictures on a PC and a laptop kept by Harding at his home in Bristol Road, Cambridge.

Computer experts also discovered 73,000 non-pornographic images of fully clothed children - the majority of girls aged between six months and 15 years.

Robert Davies, prosecuting, said Harding's secret was discovered after police officers found his credit card details had been used to access websites. A search of his address was executed on August 30 last year and his computers were seized.

Before the machines were analysed he was interviewed and admitted using the internet on a daily basis to access pornography.

Mr Davies said forensic experts had found a large number of mildly pornographic images but relatively few of a more serious nature.

Harding later admitted 16 offences of making indecent images of children and asked for one similar offence to be taken into consideration.

Giles Nelson, defending, said the defendant was a former merchant seaman of "excellent character", who had not acted on his disturbing hobby.

"This is a man who has no relationship at all in his life - a lonely man," he said. "He finds it extremely difficult to engage in any physical contact with anyone at all of any age or sex.

"The probation service say they can work with him. He has no previous convictions but appears to have a problem with being addicted to porn. He appears to understand that and to want to do something about it."

The court heard prosecution had brought back disturbing incidents to Harding from his past. He had had a particularly unfortunate experience that was not acted upon.

Passing sentence, Judge Jamie Tabor QC told Harding he deserved to go to jail.

"What concerned me most was your inability to understand that those children who have been photographed are being abused and, as a result, will almost undoubtedly suffer lifelong concern and worry," he said.

Despite misgivings the judge agreed to go along with a probation service recommendation to place Harding on a three-year community rehabilitation order.

"Bearing in mind your good character, the fact that you owned up and your frankness about your tendencies I believe you can remain within the community," he said. "But you must appreciate you are very, very close to going to prison, which at your age would be a very uncomfortable experience. I want you to understand that, if you breach the order, you will be brought back in front of me and I will send you to prison."

Judge Tabor told Harding his computers would be forfeited and ordered him to pay £3,220 costs. He was also placed on the sex offenders' register for five years.