A COUNCIL worker lost his job after police found child porn on his computer.

Alan Virgo downloaded more than 150 pictures from the internet, including those depicting children as young as four, between February and October last year.

The 64-year-old grandfather even installed software to hide his computer's IP address so his visits to the websites could be kept secret.

But he was found out when police searched his house and seized the computer after being tipped off that he was looking at indecent pictures of children.

Virgo, of Upper Hollingdean Road, Brighton, pleaded guilty to three charges of making – which means downloading – indecent photographs of children when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

They amount to 152 images including 17 which the law classes as the most severe and graphic child porn.

The former Woodvale Crematorium bereavement services manager for Brighton and Hove City Council said he lost his job as a result of his actions.

Asked if he wished to say anything after admitting the crimes, he said: “I truly regret and am ashamed of what I have done. I apologise to my family and my son and daughter and their families. My son has just had a daughter just two weeks ago, I am a grandfather. I will never do anything like this again.

“I used the software so it could not be found out that I was downloading them. I didn’t want to encourage that type of thing.

“I lost my job because of this. It will be with me for the rest of my life. My family are standing by me but they are going to be ashamed of me.

“Over the last three months there is not a moment that I have not regretted what I have done.”

He said since his arrest he has looked a lot at the website of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation – a child protection charity – and said he understood how bad his behaviour had been.

Virgo has no previous convictions and co-operated with police on his arrest, pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity. But it was obvious he had been accessing such images for some time, the court heard.

Magistrates decided they did not have sufficient sentencing powers to issue a punishment so he was released on bail to appear at Lewes Crown Court on February 28.

A council spokesman said: "We suspended Mr Virgo with immediate effect as soon as we became aware of the accusations against him. He subsequently resigned from his post.

"There is no evidence that council computers or premises were used for any of his illegal activities.

"We expect our staff to adhere to very high standards, especially when it comes to the protection of children, and would not hesitate to take appropriate action."