A police officer who resigned after pleading guilty to making and possessing child pornography has been jailed.

Family man David Bright, 41, a former police constable in Northumbria Police, had pleaded guilty to 43 child pornography charges.

Bright, from Birtley near Gateshead, was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court today.

The court heard that a total of 346 images of child pornography were found on three computers in his home, including one computer kept in one of his children's bedrooms.

Police raided his home last December following a tip off from a national agency that a child pornography website had been accessed in his home.

When he was interviewed Bright at first said he only saw child pornography by mistake when looking at adult pornography.

However, he later admitted he had stored images on recordable discs out of "morbid curiosity". He had kept a number of images on a portable storage device which he had since destroyed. He insisted he was not a paedophile but had been driven by curiosity.

The married dad is guilty of 17 counts of making - or downloading - indecent images and 26 counts of possession of child porn.

More than 200 images were of the lowest, or grade one, category of images and showed children under the age of 16 in nude or erotic poses. However, at least 14 images were of the worst category, level 5.

About 150 images were between levels two and four which can show adults having sex with children or children forced to have sex with each other.

The court was told that there was no suggestion that Bright had actually manufactured the images or physically abused a child himself but he had downloaded and owned the images. Three computers were taken from the family home.

Nadim Bashir, prosecuting, said: "Bright said he was not into child pornography and was not a nasty bloke. However, he said he knew what he was doing was wrong. He said it was not sexual but was unable to give an explanation. He repeatedly said he was not a paedophile and this had destroyed his life. He ended by saying he was so sorry."

Peter Makepeace, defending, said: "A case like this not only destroys a man's future but it also destroys his past.

"Anyone looking at his record as a loving father and husband will from now on look at him in a very different light."

Jailing him for eight months, Judge Byrant said: "These included images of very young children and images of children who are apparently and not surprisingly distressed by the experience they are undergoing.

"You say you accidentally stumbled on these websites. Clearly a time came when stumbling became deliberate rather than accidental.

"It seems to me only a custodial sentence can properly mark the public disgust that must be felt for offences of this nature."

The court heard that vigilantes have shot at the home of Bright's mother with an air rifle since the charges were brought against him. Panic alarms at Bright's own family home and that of his extended family have been fitted. The court was told that the family had stayed together.