A LONER who amassed a collection of more than 38,500 indecent images of children has avoided jail.

Daniel Cupryna downloaded thousands of still and moving images of young girls aged between eight and ten, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Judge Howard Crowson handed the 41-year-old, of Oxford Road, Middlesbrough, a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after stating he did not believe Cupryna posed a physical risk to children.

He will also be supervised by the Probation Service.

Police visited the defendant's home in September 2012 after a complaint from internet search engine, Google. Officers seized an Apple Mac computer, hard drives and three phones.

Prosecutor Sue Jacobs said the images were part of a very large personal collection, of which the majority fell into the least serious category, with 88 in the two most serious categories.

“He made admissions to that effect during interview – owning it and downloading it for personal gratification,” she said.

Cupryna – who has no previous convictions - admitted 20 charges, including 16 counts of making and one of possessing indecent photographs of children, and three charges of possessing prohibited images of children.

His barrister, John Nixon, said Cupryna has severe dyslexia and went to a school for people with learning disabilities.

"He is a single man. He resides with his parents, both of whom are professional people," he said.

“He is described as being a loner. He does not have a great many friends.

“He isn’t a man who is sexually experienced.

“He has never chosen to have any hands-on experience with any child at all, and says he wouldn’t dream of it.

“He accepts that there was some sexual gratification.”

Mr Nixon told the court his client, who is from a religious background, also helped his church with computers and cleaned litter from paths.

After reading a pre-sentence report from the Probation Service, Judge Crowson said he did not believe Cupryna would pose a danger to the public.

He said: “You committed an offence by downloading indecent images.

“To most people that sort of thing is quite abhorrent.”

As well as the suspended sentence, Cupryna was given a five-year sexual offences prevention order and was ordered to complete a sex offender treatment programme.