A MAN caught with hundreds of indecent images of children has been spared jail.

Michael Sanderson, 69, of Green Street, Ryde, admitted possession of 191 indecent images of children for distribution, and having images of category A, B and C.

Of category A, the most serious category, he was caught with 10 still images and 36 moving images.

Police visited Sanderson's address in August 2018 and seized his computer equipment, where the images were found, the court heard.

For Sanderson, Oscar Vincent told Isle of Wight Crown Court that his client pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and had no previous convictions.

Sentencing, Judge David Melville said: "These images are not prepared without significant damage to the children involved.

"These children are groomed, manipulated and threatened in order to persuade them to take part in these activities for people like you.

"If you did not create a market for images like this, they would not have had to go through that."

Sanderson was sentenced to a three year community order with a requirement to attend a sex offending programme and take part in ten days rehabilitation.

He was fined a total of £1,750 and ordered to pay £420 court costs. He will also be made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.