A 67-year-old man who downloaded hundreds of indecent images of children has walked free from court after an expert described him as a “voyeur” of child porn rather than a paedophile.

Police seized computer equipment from the home of Walter Moss after they were alerted when he distributed three indecent images of children, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

When the equipment was examined 1,800 indecent images of children, some of which were duplicates, were discovered including more than 300 which were in the most serious child porn catergories, said Michael Crimp, prosecuting.

Moss, of Chatsworth Crescent, Trimley St Mary admitted six offences of making indecent images of children, one offence of possessing indecent images of children, one offence of distributing indecent images of children and three offences of possessing extreme pornographic images.

After hearing evidence from Charles Fortt, a consultant on sexual crime, Judge John Holt gave Moss a 12 month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered him to attend an internet sex offenders’ treatment programme.

He also made Moss the subject of a sexual offences prevention order, ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register and ordered him to pay £200 costs and a victim surcharge of £100.

He said that after hearing evidence from Mr Fortt he was satisfied that Moss was a “voyeur” and not a paedophile and did not pose a risk of committing contact offences with children in the future.

Mr Crimp told the court that Moss had made full admissions to the offences to police.

Hugh Rowland for Moss said his client was deeply ashamed of what he had done and hoped to rebuild his life after being sentenced by the court.

He said Mr Fortt had assessed the risk of Moss committing contact offences with children as “minimal” and described him as a “voyeur” rather than a paedophile.