A MAN who had hundreds of “repulsive” indecent images depicting children as young as one in sexual acts “provided the stimulus” for the abuse of thousands of children.

Matthew T Kenney, 26, of Moorside Gardens, Bournemouth, pleaded guilty three counts of making indecent images of a child and possessing extreme pornography involving bestiality.

He appeared at Salisbury Crown Court on Wednesday, November 10 for sentencing.

Prosecuting, Barry McElduff told the court the offences came to light when Hertfordshire Police was alerted to software that was used to share child sexual abuse images.

He said: “Police attended his address, and he was arrested and cautioned.

“A number of devices were seized from his bedroom, of particular note a computer tower and hard drive which contained the images.

“On the devices were 315 category A images, 227 category B, 155 category C and three extreme pornographic images.”

Mr McElduff said the category A images included children between the ages of seven and 13, category B included children as young as one and the category C images showed child genitalia. The extreme pornographic images showed bestiality involving an adult female.

Mitigating, Kevin Hill said the defendant was previously of good character and lived an “isolated” life at home with his parents.

Judge Robert Pawson sentenced Kenney to 12 months imprisonment for the category A images, six months imprisonment for the category B images and two months for the category C images. The sentences were to be served concurrently and were suspended for two years. There was no separate penalty for the extreme pornography.

Judge Pawson said: “You realise that you are contributing to the abuse of children. For those images to be uploaded, they would only be taken if there was a ready market, you provided the ready market, the stimulus for people to take these images. There are thousands of children who, partly as a result of your behaviour, have been sexually abused, children as young as one being sexually abused. It is repulsive.

“I am suspending the sentences because it seems to me the best thing for the public.”

Kenney was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order for ten years, ordered to carry out 30 rehabilitation requirement days, 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £535 in costs.

Dorset Police declined to provide the image of Kenney.