A former school caretaker who sexually assaulted a four-year-old girl and took an indecent photograph of her while he was on holiday has been jailed for 16 months.

David Lewis was arrested after the girl’s mother reported the 65-year-old to police.

When officers then searched his Ipswich home they discovered more than 1,000 indecent images of children on his computer, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Lewis, of Bramford Road, Ipswich, admitted sexual touching.

He also pleaded guilty to taking an indecent photograph of a child and making indecent images of children.

Jailing him, Judge Rupert Overbury said it was necessary for him to pass a deterrent sentence on Lewis.

“The nature of what you did while you were on holiday was extremely serious,” said the judge.

In addition to jailing Lewis Judge Overbury ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register for ten years.

Lewis was also made the subject of an indefinite sexual offences prevention order restricting his use of the internet and contact with females under the age of 16.

Hugh Vass, prosecuting, said Lewis was on holiday when the indecent assault took place on the child.

He said the victim’s mother had seen him taking indecent pictures of her daughter and had contacted the police.

Police officers who carried out a search at Lewis’s home found 1,340 indecent images of children on his computer.

These included 697 at the lowest level, level one, 75 at level two, 370 at level three, 192 at level four and six at level five.

He said Lewis had told police he was disgusted with himself.

Azza Brown, for Lewis, said her client had been viewing child pornography for several years.

He had amassed the 1,300 images found on his computer over a seven-year period.

She said Lewis had contacted police and co-operated with them. He had also voluntarily sought professional help.

Ms Brown said her client was a former school caretaker and his interest in child pornography had only started after he left that role.