A MAN who downloaded child pornography and images of people having sex with animals has been spared prison.

Alan Foster, 55, was given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to five counts of downloading more than 1,000 indecent images.

Hove Crown Court was told police discovered the material on his computer after it was seized in May 2020.

Warwick Tatford, prosecuting, told the court that Foster was found to have downloaded 356 Category A images, the most serious of pornographic material, made up of 160 moving images and 196 still images.

“A search of the computer’s history showed he had also searched and downloaded pre-teen hardcore,” said Mr Tatford.

Sentencing Foster, of Seas End Road, Spalding, to a total of 20 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months, Her Honour Judge Shani Barnes told the defendant that the offences were “extremely serious”.

Foster was also also placed under a Sexual Prevention Order for 10 years.

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