A perverted artist who downloaded "a bewildering array" of shocking child sex abuse images has been spared jail because of his age and previous good character.

Eric Wai Keung Ng's son Yeun Ho Ng also walked free despite storing animated abuse images and a vile rape video game.

They were arrested after officers from Kent Police's paedophile online investigation team went to their home in Coltsfoot Drive, Grove Green, Maidstone, on May 6 last year and seized computer equipment.

The 60-year-old father, who now lives in Strood with his son, admitted downloading images using file sharing software. He claimed he did it "accidentally" and then became curious.

He used the search term PTHC for pre-teen hardcore. He would leave his computer on to download hundreds of images at a time.

"He admitted they excited him," prosecutor Simon Sandford told Maidstone Crown Court. "He also searched for videos of women having sex with animals.

"He said he knew it was illegal but was too curious to stop."

More than 7,000 images and videos were found on hard drives – about 2,000 of them in the highest category of seriousness.

Mr Sandford said Yeun Ho Ng, 30, collected more than 500 "anime" or Japanese Hentai images and an animated game involving children being raped.

Eric Wai Keung Ng admitted making indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornography of women having sex with dogs.

He was sentenced to nine months imprisonment suspended for two years with 80 hours unpaid work. His name will appear on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

Yeun Ho Ng admitted possessing prohibited images and was given a two-year community order with 80 hours unpaid work. His name will be on the register for five years.

Both were ordered to attend an internet sex offender programme. They will be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.

The court heard the family had moved to Laburnham Road, Strood, because of "adverse publicity".

Recorder Cairns Nelson QC told the father: "You were found in possession of a bewildering array of disgusting material. This is shocking material.

"You, however, are 60 and of good character and pleaded guilty."

He told Yeun Ho Ng: "I take the view I can avoid sending you to prison having regard to the remorse shown and the nature of the images."

After the hearing, an NSPCC spokesperson said: “We must not lose sight of the fact that indecent images of children are photos of crime scenes and they have suffered horrific abuse so these images can be created.

"Viewing and distributing these images creates a market and means more vulnerable children will be abused to meet demand.

"It does not matter that some of the images in this case were animated. This still encourages a dangerous interest and could lead on to more serious offences."