An artist with a fetish for Harry Potter actress Emma Watson blamed his older brother for illegal images of children found on his computer.

Jon Ball, 28, claimed Jason Ball, 33, downloaded the indecent pictures, which were discovered along with a hoard of photos of the Hollywood star.

But a jury rejected his pleas of innocence and convicted him of four charges of possessing or making indecent and prohibited images.

However, in a strange twist to the case, the court heard Jason had since been arrested on similar charges - and confessed to downloading some of the sordid pictures.

Jon had claimed he had been searching for “gothic Lolita” images to help with his drawing of Japanese-style pictures.

But Recorder Ed Connell told him: “Your account of how those images appeared on your computer was you didn’t know anything about them and you have no sexual interest in children.

“You said there had been some inadvertent downloading while looking for legitimate material in relation to your interest in drawing.”

He said the fact Jason had confessed was something he could not take into account in sentencing, explaining: “The jury didn’t accept your explanation and for my part neither do I.

“There was other evidence showing you had sought out, quite deliberately, indecent images of children, including using certain search terms found on your computer.

"I also heard during the trial your filing of Emma Watson images, again demonstrating an unusual sexual interest in young girls..." - Recorder Ed Connell

“Your claim you were looking for gothic Lolita images was rejected by the jury. And I also heard during the trial your filing of Emma Watson images, again demonstrating an unusual sexual interest in young girls.”

Canterbury Crown Court was told how police raided the home he shared with his brother in St Peter’s Place, Canterbury, in November 2012.

There they discovered 137 banned images and photographs on his computer – along with legal photographs of Watson.

Speaking at his sentencing, Jon’s barrister Crispian Cartwright said: “This is an unusual case and things have developed since the jury’s verdict.

“He was bitterly disappointed after being convicted in April and he became tearful. It was part of his case that others had access to his computer.

“And it was with a degree of reluctance on behalf of this defendant to specifically blame his brother.”

The barrister added he was contacted by solicitors weeks after the verdict and told that the brother had now confessed to similar offences and is due to be sentenced next month.

“The brother said he felt guilty, both in the legal and moral sense, because he was responsible for the images found on the computer,” he said. “That is slightly strange.

“My client remains absolutely adamant that he is not guilty of these offences. He now feels terribly confused and rather bitter and finds the whole thing appalling.”

Jon was jailed for eight months and placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for 10 years.

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