Renowned Suffolk artist Robin Warnes has been jailed for downloading nearly 600 indecent images and films of children.

Ipswich Star: Ipswich Crown Court. Picture: ARCHANTIpswich Crown Court. Picture: ARCHANT

Robin Warnes admitted five counts of making a total of 593 indecent images of children - some aged as young as two - on or before April 26 last year.

He was jailed for 16 months at Ipswich Crown Court and placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Warnes, 67, of Rosehill Road, Ipswich was also banned for 10 years from owning any form of internet-enabled computer or from accessing, downloading or deleting material from the web without declaring it to the authorities.

Judge Rupert Overbury, sentencing, told Warnes the age and vulnerability of the children was an aggravating feature of the case.

"You clearly have an interest, and a very unhealthy interest, in young girls, particularly pre-teen," he said.

"This was persistent, determined and calculated downloading of child pornography where you used your knowledge of computers and the internet to access indecent images and movies."

The court heard Warnes was arrested at his home on April 26 last year. Officers found three computer SD cards in Warnes' wallet which on later examination were found to contain indecent images.

Computer equipment found in the house was found to have been used to download the images and transfer it on to the cards.

Marc Brown, prosecuting, said examination of one computer had found signs of evidence-eliminating software being used to try and eliminate traces of the downloaded material.

He said some of the material found on the cards was in the most serious category, featuring children as young as two.

Russell Butcher, defending, said Warnes began looking at child pornography while suffering from depression recovering from heart surgery in 2007, adding "He is shocked and horrified at what he has done."

Mr Butcher said Warnes had referred himself for counselling to address his behaviour.

He was also caring for a sick wife, her elderly mother, and a vulnerable adult son, but a plea for a suspended sentence was rejected.

Warnes has exhibited regularly since becoming a professional artist in 1980.