A retired school teacher was caught building up a library of illegal pornographic images of young boys when police raided his home in Leeds.
David Hope, 65,had more than 2000 images of boys which he had downloaded on the internet or which were photographs.
Leeds Crown Court heard Hope has a fetish for boys’ underwear and most of the images were of males between the ages of 11 and 13 wearing swimming trunks or just their underwear.
Hope, of Granby Street, Headingley, was the subject of a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) imposed by magistrates in London in 2009 at the time officers searched his home last year.
The court heard Hope has a previous conviction for sexual assault and theft of his victim’s underwear.
Hope pleaded guilty to 21 offences relating to the possession of indecent images of male children.
Heather Weir, prosecuting, said police executed the search warrant on February 13 last year and it was immediately clear to officers that he was in breach of his SOPO.
Among items found included a shoe box containing 574 photographs of children.
Other banned items found in his possession included a boys’ choir book, record sleeves bearing images of children, a poster of a boy asleep in bed and two mobile phones.
More than a thousand images were also found on a laptop.
After his arrest Hope immediately admitted the images were his and he acknowledged that they should not have been in his possession.
The court heard the case was unusual as all the illegal images were at level 1 - the least serious kind.
Miss Weir said: “He said he did not believe a child in swimming trunks was indecent.”
Jane Cooper, for Hope, said her client had admitted the offences at the earliest opportunity and needed help to address his behaviour.
She said: “These issues came to light nearly 20 years ago.
“He served a custodial sentence and has been subject to various court orders and restrictions.
“But in none of that time has there been work with him to help him challenge his behaviour.”
Ms Cooper said Hope was a very intelligent man but had been leading an isolated lifestyle.
Hope was given a three-year community order and take part in an intensive programme to address his behaviour.
He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for five years.
Judge Collier said: “It is clear that you have had this interest in young boys for many years now but you have never been effectively challenged about it in any serious way.”