An Ipswich father-of-two who downloaded around 500 indecent movies and images of children has avoided an immediate prison sentence.

Police seized a tower computer from Phillip Montgomery’s home in January last year after receiving information that two IP addresses registered to him had been used to download indecent images of children.

Matthew Bagnall, prosecuting, said that when the device was analysed it was found to contain 30 still images and eight movies in the most serious level A category, 22 still images and six movies in category B and 425 still images and seven movies in the lowest level C category.

He said Montgomery, 48, had provided police with the password to the computer and although he had not answered questions in his first interview with police he’d made full admissions during his second interview.

Montgomery, of Valley Road, Ipswich, admitted three offences of making indecent images of children, possessing four prohibited images of children and possessing four extreme pornographic images.

He was given an eight month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, 200 hours unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 50 days.

He was also given a sexual harm prevention order for ten years and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for the same period.

Sentencing him on Monday, Judge David Pugh said Montgomery had tried to conceal evidence with a file shredder app.

He accepted that the consequences of his offending had been profound and that there were concerns about his mental health.

He said that as a result of people like Montgomery viewing indecent images of children, those who produced them would continue to abuse them.

“These aren’t victimless offences,” said the judge.

Lynne Shirley, representing Montgomery, said he had lost his wife, children and job as a result of the offences and was now living in a room in a multi-occupancy house and was on benefits.

“His world came crashing down on the day he was arrested,” said Miss Shirley.

She said he had no previous convictions and was remorseful.

She said Montgomery had also made significant attempts to end his life.