A CONVICTED sex offender who downloaded vile pictures of child abuse while subject to a court order will learn his fate in March.

Callum Machardie, 30, had been due to be sentenced yesterday at Swindon Crown Court after he’d earlier admitted possession of 25 indecent images of children and breaching an earlier sexual harm prevention order by using private browser software TOR.

However, Judge Jason Taylor QC adjourned the case until March 15 and ordered psychiatric reports and a pre-sentence report. Machardie’s barrister, John Simmons, said his client suffered poor mental health – including depression and anxiety.

In 2016, Machardie was given a three year community order for downloading child sex abuse images. He was said to have started looking at the vile material when he was 12 years old.

Machardie, of Arley Close, Abbey Meads, was bailed to return to court on March 15.