A COMPUTER consultant who possessed more than 1,300 images of child porn has claimed he only viewed them as part of his job.Stephen Fiddaman, of Quilter Drive, Ipswich, said he was trying to devise an impenetrable computer security system for his employers, Powergen.

A COMPUTER consultant who possessed more than 1,300 images of child porn has claimed he only viewed them as part of his job.

Stephen Fiddaman, of Quilter Drive, Ipswich, said he was trying to devise an impenetrable computer security system for his employers, Powergen.

The 41-year-old pleaded guilty to viewing the material between January 1999 and March 2003 at Bury St Edmunds Crown Court.

Mitigating, Matthew McNiff said the defendant was simply "listening in or spying on" those people who viewed "inappropriate" material.

He added only one of the photographs viewed was saved on his computer and this was done accidentally.

But Robert Sadd, prosecuting, claimed the defendant deliberately sought out the images for his "own gratification".

Many were found to have been viewed on Fiddaman's home PC and some during the "early hours" of the morning.

Mr Sadd added one website, on which people discussed the internet's child porn sites, had been visited 555 times. He said movies featuring sex acts on young children had also been downloaded.

"This is nothing to do with computer security," said Mr Sadd.

Judge John Devaux acknowledged the "unusual" mitigation of the case and ordered a hearing to decide on merits of it.

This has been scheduled for next month and will hear from Powergen employees and computer experts.

Fiddaman was released on unconditional bail.