A PAEDOPHILE had images of children as young as one being sexually abused on his computer before, during, and after he was sentenced for identical offences last summer.

Andrew McGown was sentenced to 10 months, suspended for 18 months, last June after being found with more than 11,000 images and videos of child sex abuse and bestiality on his computer, phone, and printed out and sorted in to folders.

Prosecutor Sian Cutter told the court that police found evidence of adult pornography and more than 1,000 indecent images of children on McGown’s desktop computer during a routine visit on October 3. He denied that he had looked at either of these.

All of the indecent images on the computer were inaccessible, although there was evidence the files were created in April – on the day after he bought the computer – and some had been accessed and modified while awaiting sentence and after he was sentenced for his previous offences.

The court heard that one of the images involved a child as young as one being sexually abused by an adult male.

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Ms Cutter said there was evidence on the computer of extreme pornography, although this was inaccessible and no charges were proceeded with on this.

A USB shortcut was also found with more than 1,000 more indecent images of children on it.

McGown said he didn’t know how these images got on his computer – and suggested it may have been when he was trying to instal Microsoft Office on the device and had inserted what he thought was a blank disc which could have contained the images.

“He couldn’t explain how they were linked to a USB rather than the disc,” Ms Cutter said.

McGown, 62, of Tan Y Bryn, near Llandysul, pleaded guilty to having 117 Category A indecent images, 72 Category B images, and 1,884 Category C images. He also admitted breaching a suspended sentence order.

Hannah George, defending, said: “The strongest mitigation in his case is his guilty plea.

“I accept on his behalf, as does he, that he still accessed some of those images after he was sentenced.

“Since the defendant has been remanded in custody, it has been somewhat of a reckoning for him. He has not enjoyed it. He has found it very difficult.”

Addressing McGown’s continued offending, the judge, Recorder C. Rees KC, said: “It’s a pretty determined pattern of behaviour despite the opportunities the court gave you,

“The sentences of the court will only go up if you commit these offences again.”

She sentenced McGown to 12 months for the Category A offence, with concurrent sentences of eight months and three months for the Category B and C offences. He must also serve an additional six months for breaching his suspended sentence.

The defendant will continue to be subject to a sexual harm prevention order and must continue to register as a sex offender.