A FATHER-of-two who was "obsessed" with child pornography has been jailed for 15 months.

Truck driver Peter Whale, 50, of Lymington admitted 20 counts of making indecent photographs of children on his computer.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing indecent pictures of children between January 1, 2003 and June 6, 2006.

Prosecuting at Bournemouth Crown Court, Paul Hester said police who seized Whale's computer last June had found five indecent images.

A total of 717 images in CD form, ranging in seriousness from level one to level four, were discovered after the software was analysed.

Mr Hester added: "They featured children aged from six to 12 years, both male and female, but predominantly female."

Defending Whale, Laurence Aiolfi said his client accepted his responsibility for the offences and had expressed remorse, adding: "It has given him a deep sense of shame and embarrassment."

The court heard how Whale had stumbled on child pornography while searching on his computer for adult material.

"The impact on his life has been significant," said Mr Aiolfi. "He has moved away from the area in order to avoid any difficulties and is in divorce proceedings. His employment has also come to an end."

Sentencing Whale, who moved from Lymington to an address in Christchurch Road, Boscombe, Judge John Beashel told him: "All of these hundreds of images of young children are children who have been exploited and abused; their innocence taken away from them. It is people like you who download this disgusting material who play a part in this exploitation and abuse. You have no excuse - you were obviously obsessed with this gross pornography."

Whale was banned from working with children and will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years following his release from prison.