Graham Kenrick 71

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A MAN has lost his job and his wife after being caught with more than 30,000 indecent images of children.

Graham Kenrick, 65, had been searching for indecent images of children for 10 years or more although “he knew he was wrong”, Southampton Crown Court heard.

When police officers seized his hard drive and computer towers in June 2017 they found video and images depicting the abuse of children “as young as two months,” the court was told.

Kenrick, of Brookwood Avenue, Eastleigh, was found in possession of 879 Category A still images and 18 films; 692 Category B still images and one video and “somewhere near” 30,000 Category C still images and four videos.

He was also found in possession of 15 further films of women involved in sexual activities with dogs or horses and a film of girls as young as five-year-old being raped.

The court heard how Kenrick used to self-harm himself.

Richard Tutt, defence, said Kenrick “was getting sexual gratification for self-harming himself” and not “for the material itself”.

The court heard how Kenrick, who for the past 15 years worked for a charity where disabled people made furnitures, lost his job and his wife left him after 31 years of marriage.

In mitigation Mr Tutt said Kenrick did not look at all the materials and described him as “a man of previous good character” who is currently under medication, after being diagnosed with an obsessive compulsive disorder and depressive disorder.

“He felt some relief when he was arrested because he had to stop and since that time he has made effort to seek help,” Mr Tutt said.

And added: “He can’t change what he did and he is appalled by it, he has already suffered significant consequences. He has already lost a great deal.”

Mr Tutt said: “He was ashamed of what he had been doing and he would co-operate with the investigation. He pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He was downloading this material knowing he was wrong to do so.”

Mr Tutt also said there’s a low risk Kenrick will commit further sexual offences.

Sentencing, Judge Peter Henry said: “The effect of what you have done is not simply looking at appalling images because behind these images there are real children.

“Children who have suffered physically and have suffered or will suffer considerable psychological damages. It’s because people are prepared to look at this type of material that children get abused. The only sentence that can be justified is an immediate custody sentence.”

Kenrick was given a total of 12 months.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Orders has also been made and will be valid for 10 years.

Kenrick had previously pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images, possessing a prohibited image and possessing an extreme pornographic image.