AN ASCOT pensioner who did not believe he was committing a criminal offence by downloading more than 1,000 child porn images walked free from court after a judge said it was "not in the public interest" to jail him.

Lung cancer patient Geoffrey Bowyer told police he thought downloading the sickening material - which featured children as young as two - was "morally wrong" but not illegal.

The 73-year-old even said to police officers during his interview that none of the children pictured in the haul of 1,387 images were being forced to take part in the abuse Bowyer, of Park Drive in Ascot, had also bought a USB stick to download the sickening images onto, along with software that would wipe his internet history and cover up his crimes.

However on Friday he walked away from court with a community order, after a judge said that it would not be in the public interest to jail him.

He had pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photos of a child at a previous hearing.

Bowyer was caught out when a police online investigation team identified a number of IP addresses using a peer to peer network to share indecent images.

Lisa Goddard, prosecuting, told the court: "Mr Bowyer was at home when the police carried out their search. When he was arrested he made the comment 'I have viewed but not distributed any images'."

One image of category A - the most sexually explicit - of a toddler was found. A further 56 images at category B and 1,330 of category C were discovered, Miss Goddard told the court.

Bowyer was interviewed the same day and admitted downloading the images.

Miss Goddard told the court: "He thought it wasn't illegal, but morally wrong."

Passing sentence, Judge John said: "It's very sad to see a man of your age in the crown court for the first, and I very much hope, only time.

"You must understand that each image of this kind represents an occasion upon which a child has been abused. Abuse doesn't only exist when children are physically harmed; it also happens when they are required to be photographed or filmed so their photos can be viewed by people such as you.

"That you did not believe what you did was an offence is not credible.

"You have accepted responsibility, although you have minimised your culpability; worryingly, in my judgment, stating none of the victims were crying or pushing the abuser away, and none were being forced or under duress."

However Judge John said Bowyer did not pose a risk to children and instead gave him a 24 month community order and a two-year supervision order. He will also be subject to notification requirements for sex offenders for the next five years.

Judge John said: "I'm not satisfied that the dangerousness criteria are met."