A DISTURBED Suffolk dad who viewed thousands of sick internet images of children today urged other paedophiles to hand themselves in to face justice, as he did.

A DISTURBED Suffolk dad who viewed thousands of sick internet images of children today urged other paedophiles to hand themselves in to face justice, as he did.

The father-of-three, who does not want to be named because of fears for his family's safety, broke one of the biggest taboos by honestly talking about what led him to the twisted images.

He also told why confessing his guilt was the best thing he ever did.

The 32-year-old pleaded guilty to 16 charges of making indecent images of children under 16 and one of possessing indecent images of children under 16 when he appeared at Ipswich Crown Court in January this year.

He was given a suspended jail term.

Now, the man - who said he has tried to commit suicide seven times - is pleased to have the opportunity to tell a side of a story, which is rarely heard.

He said: "I take full responsibility. It was totally wrong. Hell-on-earth is the only way to describe the places on the internet that exist.

"You hear so many stories about children abused by someone they love and it's terrible. It's such a sad and evil crime to abuse children. I don't understand those people.

"But, I have a little understanding of people who get involved in the dark places and don't know what to do about it.

"If anyone's out there in a position like mine then hand yourself in because you get treated fairly. The catharsis is unbelievable."

The man, who lives in mid-Suffolk, said by admitting his crimes to a psychologist, and then to police last year, he had slowly started to piece his life back together.

The committed-Christian said through his counselling he had started to believe that his reasons for looking at the images, some of which featured horrific abuse of youngsters, was because of the sexual abuse a close relative of his suffered.

He said: "My life has been characterised from the age of eight by knowing (about the abuse).

"It made me very angry. It has taken me this long to learn how to let it be the victim's problem, not mine.”

He said that about four years ago he had searched, twice, to see if he could find any images of the alleged perpetrator.

Then more than a year after that he started searching once again, regularly visiting degrading sites.

Although he claimed he never got sexual gratification from any of the images, the man fully accepts even viewing them was immoral and sick.

He added: "At the end of every single photograph is a child that has been harmed.

"I had to ask 'what's going on in my head?' Is it possible to be a non-sexual paedophile?”

Now, despite the questions in his mind, he remains confident he will never again view images of children and said he is no risk to children.

n See tomorrow's Evening Star for the second part of this powerful interview where the man reveals the impact his actions have had on his friends and family.