A St Albans man who downloaded depraved images of young children being sexually abused onto his computer has been given a two year community order.

Christopher Baker, 30, of Camp Road, was arrested when police acting on information they had received, went to his place of work in Harpenden in May this year.

Asked by officers if he had been accessing indecent images of children, he replied: “Yes I have. I have tried to stop, but I have slipped back.”

At his St Albans home, Baker’s computer was examined and search terms he had been using to find the sick material were discovered.

As a result, officers were then able to find hundreds of still images of girls as young as six being subjected to sex assaults.

In addition there were video clips and extreme pornography discovered.

St Albans Crown Court was told during his recent trial that Baker was a man of previous good character who now feels shame and remorse for what he had done.

In addition, Judge Marie Catterson, hearing the case, was told he had taken steps himself to address his behaviour.

Baker was yesterday (Wednesday) told that as part of his community order he would be under the supervision of the probation service for the next 12 months.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the next 10 years and his name will go on the sex offenders register.