A PAEDOPHILE who admitted downloading nearly 200,000 indecent images of children has walked free from court.

Philip Keeble was caught in possession of 3,643 category A, 1,715 category B and 188,845 category C images after police executed a warrant at his home back in November 2017.

Officers seized a number of electronic devices from the property including a hard drive and two laptops which contained Keeble’s collection of images.

Police charged Keeble, 48, of Maidment Crescent, Witham, following a 20 month investigation. He admitted all charges.

During sentencing, Chelmsford Crown Court heard the majority of images found on the electronic devices were of females aged between 12 and 14, however, police also found some aged between three and five.

Kathy Hirst, prosecuting, revealed Keeble had used computer software called Torrent to access the images and he regularly downloaded them in bulk.

Mr Baker, mitigating, said: “In his own words to me it was a relief this had happened. As you can see from the pre-sentence report, Mr Keeble had become almost obsessed regarding the downloading of images and storing them to his hard drive.”

Keeble was handed a 15 month prison sentence, suspended for two years, for downloading the category A images. He was handed two separate six month suspended sentences, which will run concurrently, for the category B and C offences.

He was also ordered to undertake a rehabilitation programme and was served with a ten year sexual harm prevention order.

Judge Christopher Morgan said Keeble’s previous good character and co-operation with police was crucial in him avoiding immediate jail time.