A 75-YEAR-OLD man caught in possession of hundreds of indecent images of children has been given a three-year community order.

Christopher O'Donoghue of Brabourne Avenue in Ferndown pleaded guilty at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday September 18 to six counts of possessing indecent images of children and was sentenced on Thursday, October 1.

He has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years.

O’Donoghue was arrested at his home in Ferndown in December last year after he had purchased DVDs over the internet containing indecent material of children, which were sent to his home address.

Officers seized a memory card from his home holding indecent images of young boys. Two images were classed as category B and 328 images classed as category C. He was charged with the offences in February.

Detective Constable Paul Chessell, of Dorset Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team, said: "O’Donoghue was in possession of images of child abuse, all for his own sexual gratification.

"Dorset Police will actively investigate anyone involved in downloading or producing indecent images of children.We will track you, we will arrest you and you will be brought to justice."

He also urged those abusing children to seek professional help from either their GP or another professional organisation such as Stop it Now! of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

He added: "Targeting criminals in cyber space and safeguarding children from serious harm remains a priority for Dorset Police."

The Paedophile Online Investigation Team can be contacted on 101. In an emergency always dial 999.

He urged anyone affected to visit the following sites for more information:

• UK safer internet centre website. saferinternet.org.uk

• Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre.ceop.police.uk

• CEOP resources suitable for parents and children of different ages. thinkuknow.co.uk

• stopitnow.org.uk