AN admin assistant downloaded indecent images of children on his office computer because he liked the thrill of doing something he shouldn’t while at work, a court was told.

Andrew Plimmer was found with 16 illegal still and moving images of children on his computer involving children as young as two.

The offences came to light after the 40-year-old, from Darlington, left his job as an admin assistant at a business in the town.

Magistrates in Newton Aycliffe heard his replacement found was given the same desk, where they found a printed image of a small child, aged two to three-years-old.

Prosecutor Ann Darwin said they told the company's managing director, who immediately called the police, leading to Plimmer’s arrest.

When interviewed by officers, Plimmer accepted he had downloaded the images, ranging in severity from category C – the lowest classification – to category A.

In mitigation, Emma Richards said many of the images were of a low level and Plimmer got no sexual gratification from them.

She said: “He describes the thrill of doing something he shouldn’t be doing whilst at work.

“He got no sexual gratification from these images and during the investigation the defendant has been completely open and honest with all parties involved.”

She also told the court the defendant had recently been made homeless and was living in his car.

Plimmer – who has no previous convictions - pleaded guilty to two charges of making indecent images or pseudo-images of children at an earlier hearing

He will be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court on a date to be fixed.