INDECENT images of children possessed by a pensioner were “by far the most horrific” seen by a police investigator in their 20 years in the job, a court has heard.

Donald Cruickshank, 76, told Bournemouth Crown Court a “moment of madness” and “stupidity” had led to him downloading more than 1,000 still and moving images.

When questioned by police, Cruickshank denied having any such material, However, after an analysis of USB sticks and an electronic tablet discovered the images, he admitted he had lied in his initial police interview.

The images the defendant had downloaded included children young as one, with some of the abuse victims displaying extreme distress, the court heard.

Prosecuting, Claire Langevad said the contents of the photographs and videos had an impact on the member of Dorset Police who was tasked with grading their severity.

Ms Langevad told the court: “He describes how in 20 years’ experience these are by far the most horrific images he has had to grade.

“He was physically sick and had to take some time out before he could complete the grading procedure.”

Ms Langevad said through intelligence police identified the defendant as a man who had potentially downloaded indecent images of children.

Officers attended his address in June 2021 and seized a number of items.

The court heard there was evidence on a notebook that Cruickshank had been “actively searching for images that involved young children”.

When interviewed a short time later, the defendant “effectively denied the offences” and said anything found had “possibly come from his computer being infected”.

Ms Langevad said a memory stick marked ‘family photographs’ had 345 category A – the most serious – indecent images, 81 category B and 608 category C.

Referencing a second interview with police carried out last year, the prosecutor said: “He made full admissions and said he had lied in his interview the previous year because he hoped he would get away with it.”

Cruickshank, who was unrepresented at the hearing on February 24, told Judge Stephen Climie his offending was a “moment of madness”, “stupidity” and “I have beaten myself up for it”.

He previously pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs of children and one count of possessing extreme pornography.

Judge Climie said a pre-sentence report from the Probation Service suggested that he should consider an alternative to custody on the basis the defendant was very unlikely to reoffend.

He followed this recommendation and handed down an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Cruickshank, of Ringwood Road, St Leonards, was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.

He was ordered to pay £425 costs and a £156 surcharge.