A FORMER government computer boffin facing jail for building up a library of sickening photos of child abuse killed himself hours before appearing in court.

Barry Kadleck, 61, who also served as a magistrate, was found dead at his North-East home the day before he was due to be at Teesside Crown Court.

He was warned to expect prison when he pleaded guilty at a hearing last month to making and possessing 4,000 indecent images of children.

The court would have heard that he was fixated on young girls aged around eight and stockpiled the harrowing photographs of children being sexually assaulted.

Court papers say that Kadleck, from Hexham, Northumberland, worked for the Government on secret IT contracts in Dubai and served as a magistrate in Newcastle.

The separated father-of-three was arrested at work last year, and told police: "I have been expecting it for some time, and it's no more than I deserve."

Investigations discovered thousands of images and videos on his mobile phone, laptop computer and on other storage devices around his house, the court heard.

Kadleck admitted that he had been looking at the images for the last seven years and told probation officials he was "fascinated and horrified" by them.

He was supposed to be appearing for sentence on Friday, but the court heard he was found dead at his home in what was suspected to be a suicide.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "Police received a report at approximately 12.30pm on Thursday expressing concern for a man at an address in Hexham.

"Officers attended and paramedics were already working on a 61-year-old man, however he was later confirmed to be dead. It is believed that there was no third party involvement and a report is being prepared for the coroner."

Kadleck was a senior systems specialist with computer giant IBM for more 20 years and also worked in the technology team involved in the football events at the 2012 Olympics.

He worked as a volunteer driver for a Hexham-based charity and most recently worked as a senior manager with STME Ltd who describe themselves as the Middle East's leading IT solutions provider and systems integrator.

The Northern Echo understands he was headhunted by the Government to work on the confidential contract in the Gulf, and returned to the UK five years ago.

Kadleck, whose wife lived on North Tyneside, resigned from his delivery driver job for a supermarket and as a magistrate following his arrest in March last year.

The case - being heard on Teesside because of his links to courts on Tyneside - will be listed again this Friday when it is expected to be discontinued.