Gardener downloaded indecent images

A BEXHILL landscape gardener has been jailed for eight months after admitting he downloaded indecent images of children from the internet.

Mark Cave, 34, was arrested after police raided his home in College Road in December 2002 as part of Operation Ore.

The search uncovered indecent pictures of children stashed in a filing cabinet and more stored on Cave's computer.

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The father-of-one admitted fourteen counts of making indecent images of children and asked for a further 1,823 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

At first he told officers he had looked at the pictures with his wife but later admitted this was a lie and he had viewed them alone.

David Scutt, prosecuting, told Lewes Crown Court: "On December 19 a warrant was executed and a computer was seized.

"When questioned Mr Cave said he and his wife would look at these images and also read porn stories involving children.

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"He said the images were printed off because he didn't know how to store them on his computer. They were found in a filing cabinet.

"Other images were found stored in temporary files on the computer.

"On February 5 he was re-interviewed and said all the images were down to him and that his wife didn't view the images and he didn't know why he had said that."

Lydia Jonson, defending Cave, told the court: "These offences came to light in December 2002.

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"He admitted it from the outset. He has been waiting for this day in fear and dread.

"He accepts that on three occasions he paid for images. In my conversations with him there has been clear remorse - he regrets his actions."

Jailing Cave, Judge Charles Kemp told him: "These images are disgusting, I don't need to tell you that.

"The children depicted in these photographs are subjected to a most horrifying ordeal because they are young and the people making these photos are making them do it.

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"You don't know and nor do I, what, ultimately, the affect will be on those children.

"By paying to download these images you are helping the trade continue."

Cave was also ordered to be on extended licence for two years on release and sign on the sex offenders' register for ten years.

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