A MAN who denied having a sexual interest in children was caught with thousands of indecent images, a court heard.

David Howbridge used his iPad to store photographs and videos of children, some of whom were “very young”.

The 57-year-old is even said to have had a video of a baby being sexually assaulted.

His stash included 556 category A images, 984 category B images, and 1,014 category C images.

He was arrested at his home in Hibberd Way, Bournemouth after police received information he had uploaded images of children to a website.

Officers seized his iPad and found thousands of indecent images.

Prosecuting, Paul Fairley said many were in “in-accessible areas” of the device suggesting they had been deleted.

Howbridge gave no comment during an initial police interview, however, later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photos of a child.

The defendant appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Wednesday, October 4, to be sentenced for the offences committed between August 2013 and November 2021.

The court heard that Howbridge found it “difficult to acknowledge his offending” and had been convicted for “similar offences” at Bournemouth Crown Court in 2008.

Mitigating, Ruba Huleihel said her client “did not accept having a sexual interest in children”.

“It is something that it is difficult for him to acknowledge. He knows that what he has done is terrible and he regrets it, but it is something he has done before,” she added.

Howbridge is said to have experienced something “terrible” and “traumatic” at boarding school when he was seven years old but would not reveal what this was.

Ms Huleihel said: “He needs to have an intervention and needs to have the opportunity to work with professionals.”

Judge William Mousley KC said: “You’re 57. You were making indecent images of children.

“I’m considering the long period of time which you have possessed these images - which were most likely to have been deleted - the high volume of these images, and the fact they include those of very young children.

“The reports indicate that you find it difficult to acknowledge your offending.”

Howbridge was given a three-year community order and must take part in the Horizon behaviour programme.

He was fined £1,500 and must pay £425 in costs.

He has also been made the subject of a ten-year sexual harm prevention.