A PERVERT pensioner is behind bars for amassing a library of child abuse pictures and stealing underwear from elderly neighbours at his sheltered housing complex.

Robert Black spent ten years downloading from the internet and sharing indecent images and extreme pornography before his arrest in February, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The balding deviant, 69, was wearing a pair of red knickers when police turned up to search his home in Derwent Grange, Hartlepool, said prosecutor Harry Hadfield.

He confessed to a history of dressing up in women's clothes and told officers they would find a huge collection of stolen pants if they searched his flat.

There were also photographs of him wearing knickers on one of his three mobile phones, along with evidence he had sent two images of child abuse to another paedophile.

When experts examined his computer equipment, a total of almost 500 photos and film clips of youngsters were found, along with some depicting bestiality.

In an interview with police, Black said he was "astonished" at how many he had found online, confessed to looking at them over and again, and said some had been sent to him.

When he was asked his thoughts were of people who trade in child abuse, he said it was "disgusting", and told officers that children should be better protected

Judge Howard Crowson told Black his deviant behaviour was worrying as he jailed him for two years and put him on the sex offenders' register for ten years.

Jane Foley, mitigating, said: "One of the concerns expressed by the probation officer is that there doesn't appear to be any real motivation for the offending.

"He has accepted regularly viewing the images, and while he has expressed remorse and disgust, the author of his pre-sentence report takes the view he remains a high risk of reoffending.

"It is hoped Mr Black will receive some treatment while he is in custody."

Black admitted charges of making and distributing indecent photographs of children, theft and possessing extreme pornographic material at an earlier hearing.