A pensioner who viewed scores of images of child sex abuse and bestiality has walked free from court.

A judge suspended an eight-month prison sentence on Ian Ranger after hearing he was of previous good character and that his wife had dementia.

Maidstone Crown Court heard police went to the 68-year-old’s home in The Spires in Strood, on July 10 last year after receiving information a child abuse image in the highest category of seriousness had been uploaded.

Ranger conceded he might have such images on his computer, but claimed he had not looked at them.

He said he looked at chat sites, one of which involved incest.

He told of receiving nude pictures of girls aged 10 to 12. He went on the site every other night and would receive about 10 pictures each time. He had been looking at them for two years.

Prosecutor Trevor Wright said some of the images showed adults having sex with children as young as five and six.

Ranger denied getting any sexual gratification from them and declared he just liked looking at them.

He admitted getting sexual aroused by seeing adults having sex with animals.

Mr Wright said police found 27 still images and video clips of child sex abuse in the highest category, 28 in the next category and 35 in the lowest. Another 230 were inaccessible.

“He said the images just fascinated him,” said Mr Wright.

“He said it was stupid and he should not have done it. He added he had learnt his lesson and would not do it again.”

Before any mitigation was officer, Judge Martin Joy said: “I will tell you what I have in mind. They involve real children being abused. He has got no previous convictions.

“In those circumstances, what I have in mind is concurrent sentences of 18 months suspended for two years.”

He told Ranger, who admitted possessing indecent images of children: “There are a lot of stills and videos. The position is these offences are prevalent. They involve real children being abused.

“Those who download them feed the market. They enable serious sexual offences to be committed with real children. You retired last year to care for your wife who has dementia.”

A sexual harm prevention order restricting use of the internet was made. Ranger’s name will appear on the sex offenders’ register.