IMAGES of children in indecent poses were found among 2,000 pornographic pictures downloaded from the Internet on a domestic computer.

Durham Crown Court heard that police officers visiting the home of 61-year-old Michael David Williams noticed a computer screen saver featuring "inappropriate photographs of children".

Chris Williamson, prosecuting, said that inquiries revealed numerous photographs were deleted from the computer, but were still stored in the memory.

Williams, of Iveston Street, Sacriston, near Chester-le-Street, has served two previous three-year prison sentences for having under-age sex, indecent assault and for taking indecent photographs of children, offences dating from 1985 and 1992.

Brian Russell, in mitigation, said most of the pictures downloaded were "not particularly palatable, but not illegal".

Williams, who admitted making 19 indecent photographs of children, was given a three-year community rehabilitation order and placed on the sex offenders' register for five years. He was also ordered to pay £250 towards prosecution costs.