Former RAF serviceman from Leeds accessed indecent child images for eight years before he was finally arrested

Bruce Johnston claimed he accessed the vile images as he was lonely and had obsessive compulsive disorder but denied having a sexual interest in children when he was interviewed about the offending.

A judge told the 55-year-old that he rejected his claim not to have a sexual interest in children as he was given a suspended prison sentence at Leeds Crown Court.

Andrew Semple, prosecuting, said police went to Johnston's home in January last year after receiving information that an internet provider address linked to the property had been used to download illegal images.

Mr Semple said officers seized three electronic devices and two were found to contain child images.

A total of 17 still images and four movies were at category A - the most serious level of ending.

More than 5,000 images were at category C.

Images included children aged between seven and 11 years old being sexually abused.

The devices had been fitted with file sharing equipment but there was no evidence that Johnston distributed images to anyone else.

The offending took place between 2013 and 2019.

Johnston admitted in an interview that he had accessed images for eight years before being arrested.

He told officers he started to the access the images while he was alone after he became divorced while he was still in the armed forces.

Johnston, of Poole Crescent, Cross Gates, pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent photographs of a child.

Mr Smith said the defendant was a carer for his son who was suffering from a serious illness.

He added that Johnston also had serious medical problems and was expecting to be diagnosed with cancer.

Johnston was sentenced to nine months, suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to take part in a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Johnston was made the subject of sexual harm prevention order and told he must go on the sex offender register for ten years.