Telford man, 20, had almost 5,000 child porn images on computer
A man who was caught with nearly 5,000 indecent images of children on his computer has been spared a prison sentence.
Ashley Bodkin had admitted downloading the pictures and movies to his laptop computer between January 2 and April 29.
Bodkin, 20, who is unemployed, was arrested after police received a tip off, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.
Mr Phillip Beardwell, prosecuting, said: "Police obtained a search warrant and attended his home in Arden Avenue, Dawley, Telford. When they told him why they were there he said: 'It was me, I did it by mistake, it was on my laptop. I'm ashamed of it'.
"He said he did search for the images. But there is no suggestion that he had made any of the images himself."
In total, police found 4,992 photographs - 3,998 at level one, the lowest level, 65 at level two, 297 at level three, 538 at level four and 24 at level five - the most serious.
They also found 67 movies, 35 of which were at level one, nine at level two, five at level three, 17 at level four and one at level five.
Bodkin's barrister Mr Delroy Henry said: "This is a sad case as the defendant is so relatively young and it's perhaps this inmaturity which had led to this spate of criminality.
"He had indicated genuine remorse and has sought rehabilitation himself before entering his pleas."
Bodkin had admitted five charges of making indecent photographs of children and five of making indecent movies of children at a hearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court last month.
He was sentenced to a 24-month community order with a supervision requirement and told to complete 25 days of unpaid work.
For possessing the more serious images he was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid with within the next 12 months.
Judge Peter Barrie ordered that the laptop be destroyed and that Bodkin should pay costs of £150 and be placed under a sexual offences prevention order and notification requirements for five years.
"I accept that each of these images had been deleted as far as you were concerned before the police seized the laptop," Judge Barrie said.
"I take into account your previous good character and young age. The most appropriate way of dealing with this is to provide support for you."
Bodkin had previously denied five charges of distributing the images and the prosecution offered no evidence to these charges. Judge Barrie recorded a not guilty verdict on these charges.
