Serious child sex abuse images were found on the device of a pensioner who mended computers for other elderly residents at his block of flats.

Leon Horwood, 77, who lives in Hickling Way, Harpenden, told the police he had been sent them by man in Australia he knew as Fossil, Luton Crown Court heard on Monday.

Prosecutor Nigel Ogborne said the police went to Horwood’s flat after a tip off from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in the United States that four indecent images of children had been sent to his email address.

They forced their way in because Horwood, who is partly deaf, did not hear them knocking. Asked about the large amount of computer equipment in the flat, he told the police he fixed computers for other residents.

On a silver tower computer, the police found 62 images and 22 movies at Category A, the most serious level. There were 37 images and 7seven movies at Category B and twp images and 10 movies at Level C, the least serious level.

There were also 10 images of extreme pornography.

Horwood pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children.

Andrew Kerry, defending, said: “He is at a loss to understand the connection with the United States. He said they had been sent to him by a man he knew as Fossil in Australia. It happened for a short period some time ago.”

Judge Barbara Mensah said the offences were “vile and horrible” and made a two year Community Order with twp years’ supervision.

Horwood must register as a sex offender and abide by the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the next five years as well as paying £455 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.