A DAD viewed the 'worst kind' of child pornography showing the 'vile' abuse and ill-treatment of children under five.

Gary Sanders, who has since experienced the breakdown of his marriage and the 'humiliation' of a trial, denied three counts of making indecent images of children.

However, he was found guilty by a jury and sentenced by Judge Robert Juckes QC at Worcester Crown Court.

The 37-year-old site caretaker, of Tolladine Road, Worcester denied making 195 images of children at category A (the most serious level), 360 at category B and 684 at category C.

The images were found on a Dell laptop seized by police during a search on September 14, 2015.

Hugh Williams, prosecuting, said the range at its worst showed the ill-treatment and sexual abuse of children under the age of five.

The four day trial ended on January 20 when Sanders was found guilty of accessing the images on four occasions between September 8 and September 14, 2015.

Mr Williams said Sanders had accessed Russian websites and also had software which deleted his internet search history.

He said the children being abused ranged in age from two to seven years and also showed children aged 11 and 12.

He was interviewed twice where he admitted using adult pornography.

Sanders told police he had seen indecent images of children but denied he had done so intentionally and, in the second interview, denied he had seen the images at all.

Sanders had no previous convictions or cautions.

Richard Hull, defending, said: “The impact has been catastrophic to his relationship with his wife.

"Initially, after his arrest, there were efforts to maintain the pretence of a healthy marriage but, perhaps understandably, this was doomed to failure because she could not move beyond what he had done.”

Judge Robert Juckes QC said: "Offences involving the creation or use of child pornography are taken very seriously by the courts.

"The reason for that is because, I have no doubt you would agree, the abuse of small children is one of the most vile kinds of crime.

"You said you felt the whole process very unfair. That may be because you thought that the people who ought to be in the dock are the people who created the material and disseminated it as opposed to people like yourself. The court takes the view that those who use it encourage the creation of it.

Judge Juckes said the offending followed a familiar pattern which began with adult pornography and, as the individual became more depraved, resulted in a need to view more extreme images.

He also took into account that Sanders continued to deny the offences, that he was a man of previous good character and had worked hard and led a responsible life.

Judge Juckes said he would destroy the defendant's ability to meet his financial responsibilities if he sent him to prison.

He added: "Your exposure in this case is a source of extreme embarrassment to you. Your humiliation and the consequence of that is part of the punishment."

He imposed a prison sentence of 12 months, suspended for two years.

Sanders was also ordered to pay £2,000 towards the £2,800 costs requested by the prosecution.

A sexual harm prevention order was made and he Sanders sign the sex offenders register for a minimum of seven years.

Sanders was further ordered to complete 30 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement and 150 hours of unpaid work.