A carehome resident was caught with horrific child sex abuse images when he asked a nurse to help him use the WiFi.
Andrew Oldham asked for help with the technology when he was admitted to a Birkenhead nursing home in July last year.
It was then a member of staff made the shocking discovery on his phone finding pictures of "prepubescent" boys and girls including naked images, Liverpool Echo reported.
Oldham was a temporary resident at Daleside Nursing home at the time of the offence, Lionel Cope, prosecuting at Liverpool Magistrates' Court, explained.
Mr Cope said he asked a nurse to help him use the WiFi and "handed her a black Samsung".
The nurse then saw prohibited images of boys and girls some of which "appeared to be naked". Mr Cope said: "Police attended the home and Mr Oldham was arrested".
Oldham gave a no comment interview but 249 illegal images over five devices were discovered "from various dates" between October 14, 2018 and May 3, 2020.
The court heard Oldham has no previous convictions.
Christopher McMaster, defending, said: "The facts of this case are of course unpleasant as any case of this sort is."
Mr McMaster stressed Oldham's guilty pleas and former good character, and also asked the judge to consider that it was a "relatively small quantity of category C images".
The court heard the images also included prohibited images of children.
He said Oldham has "substantial health difficulties" and after handing his devices over to police has not obtained new ones.
Oldham, of Hillcrest Court, Poulton, Wallasey, admitted possessing indecent photographs of children.
District Judge O.G. Jones, sentencing, said: "This is a serious offence, indecent photographs of children.
"I particularly take into account your guilty plea and also the fact you have never before been in any trouble.
"That carries a lot of weight and I give you full credit for that.
"Having said that, it is a serious matter and there are guidelines which I am required to follow."
Oldham was handed a 12 month community order with 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.
He must complete a sexual offenders program 'Maps for Change' and was ordered to pay a £50 financial penalty, prosecution costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £95.
Oldham must sign the Sex Offenders Register for five years and adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same period.
