by Julia Roberts

A former butcher convicted of downloading child abuse images was jailed for a year today - despite protesting his innocence.

Glenn Bryen, of Laburnum Road, Strood, had denied 10 offences of making indecent images of children but was found guilty by a jury at Maidstone Crown Court.

Today, Judge Michael Carroll described Bryen as being "in complete denial" despite "overwhelming" evidence.

The judge added he was concerned the 40-year-old still maintains he was not responsible for the 355 movie clips found on his hard drive in October 2009.

"It highlights the determination not to face up to what you have done," remarked the judge.

During the hearing Bryen shook his head as he sat in the dock and relatives, including his mother, sobbed.

After sentence had been passed they were heard to say: "He didn't do it. How can he admit guilt when he hasn't done it."

The court was told the images depicted abuse of all levels of seriousness, including four at the highest level of five and 70 at level four.

"he didn't do it. how can he admit guilt when he hasn't done it” – relatives of bryen

Tom Stern, defending, said the images were not stored or organised in any way and there was no distribution.

Describing the case as an isolated incident Mr Stern added that there was not "a high level of personal interest" in the images.

However, Judge Carroll said that without such interest from people like Bryen there would be no supply of such "filth".

"Someone has set up these images, live images, to copy and distribute and it is because of the interest of persons such as your client that it will continue to be done and children will be abused to satisfy the need, to put it bluntly, of the consumer."

Bryen, who also worked as a carer, was studying to be a mental health nurse at the time of his arrest.

He was said to be within weeks of completing his degree.

He is expected to serve half his sentence, and is also subject to a sexual offences prevention order banning him from owning computer equipment capable of accessing the Internet or from having an Internet account for 10 years.

Bryen must also sign on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.