A MAN has narrowly escaped prison after admitting downloading 1,379 images of child pornography.Ipswich Crown Court heard that Lee Chittock, 35, had suffered a series of tragedies over a two year period which had seen his “support network taken away” and could have contributed to his desire to look at internet porn sites.

A MAN has narrowly escaped prison after admitting downloading 1,379 images of child pornography.

Ipswich Crown Court heard that Lee Chittock, 35, had suffered a series of tragedies over a two year period which had seen his “support network taken away” and could have contributed to his desire to look at internet porn sites.

Chittock, formerly of Ipswich but now of Beloe Avenue, Norwich is believed to be the cousin of Derek Henderson-Chittock who was stabbed to death by his ex girlfriend in Salisbury Road, Ipswich in July 2005.

Rachel Allard, 27, is currently serving time in prison for his manslaughter.

Christine Hayes, mitigating for Chittock, said: “In February 2004 his father's sister and her daughter came to spend the evening and stayed the night. In the morning she found her 16-year-old daughter had died in the night.

“There was further tragedy on July 2, 2005 when his father died. At the time he (the defendant) was trying to get a web development business off the ground and was spending an increasing amount of time on the computer.

“He had at one stage lived with his cousin and about a week after his father's death that cousin was stabbed and killed in Ipswich.

“Within a short period of time his family support network had effectively been taken away.”

The court heard that Chittock's former home in Belstead Avenue, Ipswich had been raided by police on August 31, 2006 after his ex-wife told social services he had CCTV cameras in the house and that his daughter had slipped over and injured her head.

Computer equipment was seized and two days later Chittock visited Ipswich police station with a signed confession.

He has no previous convictions.

Patricia Doggett, prosecuting, said police had analysed his computer and found 743 images of child porn at level one, 349 images at level two; 136 at level three; 144 at level four and seven at level five.

He admitted 16 charges of making indecent images of children and one of possessing indecent images of children.

Child pornography is divided into five categories with level five the most serious.

Judge Peter Thompson sentenced Chittock to 12 months in prison suspended for two years.

He was ordered to take part in a sex offenders' treatment programme and was disqualified from working with children.

What do you think? Write to: Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail: eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk