A MAN amassed thousands of indecent images of children within three years of his release from a previous prison sentence for similar offending.

Ian Hardie today (Thursday January 29) admitted six counts of making indecent photographs of children, between January 2012 and last August, during a short Durham Crown Court hearing.

The court heard almost 7,300 offending images were found stored on a computer tower removed from his home by police on August 27.

But the court was told most were classed as ‘category C’ images, the third most serious level for such material.

Ian West, for Hardie, asked for preparation of a background report prior to his client being sentenced.

“Mr Hardie has a previous conviction in Scotland, in March 2011, for which he was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

“I will submit that most of the near 7,300 images here are in category C, although there were nine in category A and 31 in category B.”

Judge Christopher Prince agreed to adjourn sentence for a Probation Service report before sentence.

But he told Hardie: “The fact that I’m adjourning should be taken as no indication as to the sentence you will receive in this case.

“You may be going to prison.”

Judge Prince said Hardie should make an interim registration as a sex offender, with the exact length of time he should remain on the register to be determined when sentenced.

Although he was told the defendant remains on the sex offenders’ register following his conviction in Scotland, Judge Prince said: “The form this side of the border will be drawn up.”

He bailed 48-year-old Hardie, of Albert Terrace, Stanhope, in Weardale, to return for the sentencing hearing at the court on Friday March 20