A MAN who had nearly 4,000 indecent still and moving images of children on his laptop and tablet has avoided a jail sentence.

Curtis Thick, 23, of Jubilee Road, Poole, was given a stark warning by judge Mr Robert Pawson, who said the defendant was “in part responsible” for the abuse perpetrated on the victims.

Officers attended Thick’s address and seized a Toshiba laptop and Samsung tablet, Bournemouth Crown Court heard on December 21.

They found 133 category A still images of children and one category A moving image on the laptop, 210 category B still images and one category B moving image, and 108 category C moving images.

On the tablet, officers discovered 394 category A still images and 984 category A moving images, 582 category B still images and 478 category B moving images, 407 category C images and 450 category C moving images.

Prosecuting, Mr Brian Sharman said the defendant answered “no comment” to all questions asked of him by police.

He said: “It is aggravated by the high number of images and large number of victims.”

The images included children and babies being penetrated by an adult male.

Sentencing the defendant, Mr Pawson said: “Mr Thick, somewhere on the planet there is an actual human being who has had to go through that and you are, at least in part, responsible for that abuse being perpetrated on an infant because, if people like you didn’t download the images then the people involved would not keep filming it, you supply that demand.

“I don’t know what conscience you have Mr Thick, but there must be people you know who have children.

“You might want to consider what sort of impact that that sort of abuse is going to have on someone for the rest of their lives.

“You would download the images for your own sexual gratification. You are in part responsible for that sexual abuse.

“I suspect it would make the hairs on the back of neck of most people stand on end. Most people would say you should go to prison.”

Mr Pawson said it was in the public interest that Thick was rehabilitated.

The defendant was given a three-year community order, a seven year sexual harm prevention order, a curfew between 6am and 6pm for five months and 35 rehab activity requirement days.

“If I see you in court again for breaching those orders you will go to prison, regardless of your physical disability,” Mr Pawson added.

“You will understand that serving a prison sentence as someone who has a sexual interest in children makes a prison sentence much more ominous.

“The best chance for your rehabilitation will involve the maximum opportunity for probation of three years.

“Make no mistake, if you appear in front of me again, I will take the position that you have had your chance. I took a chance with you, if you don’t take it you will go to prison, full stop.”