A FATHER-OF-TWO who downloaded indecent images of children on his computer has been sent for treatment by a judge who told him he needed to admit he had a problem.

Edward Jeffery, 42, claimed he had no sexual interest in youngsters, but Recorder Andrew Edis, QC, told Jeffery: “Stop trying to pretend, face up to what is the matter with you and do something about it.’

The judge said the 284 pictures of children being abused, recovered from the defendant’s computer, were ‘foul, degrading and violent’. He told him: ‘They are images of great suffering being caused to very small children in the real world. The acts that are depicted are the gravest kind of child abuse.”

Jeffery, of Waidshouse Road, Nelson, admitted eight counts of making an indecent photo of a child.

He was given a three-year community order, with supervision, and must complete the Internet Sex Offenders’ Treatment Programme.

He also received a sexual offences prevention order to allow police to monitor his internet use and was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for five years.