A MAN downloaded child porn from the Internet for the second time while waiting to be put on a sex offenders’ programme, a court heard.

A judge had ordered Richard Joughin to attend the course when sentenced in December 2005 to a community rehabilitation order.

But the 68-year-old retired bus driver heard no more and in January this year he was caught with more of the obscene images on his computer.

Joughin, of Clandon Road, Lordswood, Chatham, was jailed for nine months in July 2003 and placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years for indecently assaulting a 13-year-old girl.

Then came the three-year community order for 16 charges of making indecent photographs of children in 2005.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how public protection officers found nearly 1,000 images on his computer during a visit to his home on Sunday, January 7.

The grandfather mentioned his computer and an officer asked to look at it. His password was Baby Girl and when he signed on, a level one image of a girl, the lowest on a scale of one to five, was seen.

Jo Cope, prosecuting, said Joughin also mentioned he had a hotmail account.

When that was accessed, there was a sexually explicit message relating to a young girl.

Joughin later admitted that he posed as a 10-year-old girl on the Internet to chat to “like-minded” adults and send them indecent photos of children.

Mrs Cope said of the 969 images found, 11 were level five, 39 level four, 98 level three, 51 level two and 770 level one.

Joughin admitted making indecent images of children, possessing them and distributing them.

Maria Culling, defending, said Joughin’s attitudes were clearly of concern, as he had admitted his behaviour was sexually motivated.

“He doesn’t see how his actions can be linked to abuse,” she said.

Miss Culling said the purpose of the last order was to address his attitudes, but the sex offender programme had not taken place.

“It is perhaps unsurprising that his attitudes are similar to how they were before.

Judge Michael Lawson, QC, said the widower had done nothing to change his ways, adding: “You can’t force people to change their attitudes if they don’t want to.

Remanding Joughin in custody, while a pre-sentence report is prepared, the judge addeed: “My inclination is this is a case where a custodial sentence is inevitable.”