A GRANDAD with a pornography addiction "fell into" looking at and sharing images of child abuse, a court heard.

Philip Archer was invited to join a chatroom by an unknown man where he said pictures of "normal porn" were on show.

Over time, photographs of children as young as three being abused were displayed and distributed.

Archer, 47, continued to look at the images and share them until he was kicked off the social media site for breaching rules.

He later told police that he continued out of "curiosity" but denied being sexually attracted to children.

Teesside Crown Court heard that he told police: "I didn't want to be watching that s***. I have grandchildren of a similar age."

Prosecutor Richard Bennett told the court: "He had been invited into the chatroom by a male he didn't know, who said 'come in and have a laugh with us'.

"He said he saw standard pornography images then he was shown some more which he said he thought were a bit naughty and he was intrigued, but should not have been because he has grandkids.

"He said some of the images made him feel ill, and think 'how the hell can they do that - it's wrong'.

"He said he got hooked and only stopped because he got removed from the site. After he was kicked off, he said it was a relief."

Police searched Archer's home in Norton, near Stockton, on November 30 and seized a mobile phone which contained three indecent images and three prohibited images.

Duncan McReddie, mitigating, said: "During interview, he went much further than he needed to and gave up more than the police or the Crown could prove.

"He is in full-time work, in a proper job, holding a responsible position. His employer is aware of these matters. He will not lose his employment, which is particularly important because of the family members it supports."

Archer, of Priory Gardens, Norton, admitted three charges of making indecent images of children and was given a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Judge Sean Morris told him: "You became addicted to the most extreme pornography. You knew it was wrong but you could not, it would appear, completely kick the habit."