A GRAPHIC designer who downloaded and exchanged indecent images of young boys was dressed as a clergyman when arrested by police.

Peter Moore, 35, of Palmerston Road, Boscombe, was jailed for four years by Judge Samuel Wiggs on Wednesday after being convicted of a total of 18 sex offences.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard that Moore posed as a prison chaplain and created a false identity card using a computer and scanner.

Police discovered Moore dressed as a clergyman when they visited his Boscombe address in 2002 and seized a computer from his office.

They found hundreds of disturbing images of boys, some as young as seven.

At his trial the jury heard that a total of 900 indecent images were discovered on the computers and 31 images sent to other email addresses.

Moore was found guilty of ten counts of distributing indecent photographs of children and eight of possessing indecent photographs of children.

In 1994 Moore was jailed for eight years by Bristol Crown Court for attempted sexual offences against two young boys and committing gross indecency with a child.

When asked by prosecutor Robert Grey who was responsible for the images, Moore blamed his wife Alex.

He said: "From what I have learned I believe Alex is. She would go on the computer from about 7.30pm and not come off till God knows what time in the early hours of the morning."

When asked why he failed to tell police he replied: "Some-one I loved was in trouble".

When his wife was asked if she had ever viewed porn on the computer, she replied: "I'd rather not answer that."

Defending, Kate Lumsdon asked for Moore not to be barred from using a computer because he uses it for his desk-top publishing business.

Judge Samuel Wiggs told Moore: "I have serious concerns about you and the need for the public to be protected from your activities.

"I am concerned that when you were arrested you were dressed as a clergyman.

"Much greater concern stems from the convictions in 1994 of sex offences against young boys."

First published: August 25