A pensioner who searched for and downloaded 1,057 illegal images and videos of young children has walked out of court with a community order.
Abbas Momtazi, 75, looked at indecent images of girls aged between seven and ten-years-old over a 12-year-period.
Momtazi claimed that he didn't think the images were illegal because "they were available", but he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of indecent images of children at Teesside Crown Court, reports Teesside Live.
The offence was committed between November 2008 and June 2021.
The court heard how police raided Momtazi's home, in Middlesbrough, on June 10, 2021, after receiving information that illegal images were being shared from his IP address.
Officers seized Momtazi's computer tower, and found category C images and videos, and searches for "pre-teens"; but no evidence that he had distributed the illegal content.
Momtazi, who is retired and receives a state pension and pension credit, said he has no sexual interest in children.
Judge Jonathan Carroll said that he was satisfied, having read a report on Momtazi by the probation service, that the risk he represents to the public, can be managed in the community.
He said: "Somebody who's reached the age of 75 with no previous convictions and is in general poor health- it seems to me that the balance falls into managing your risk."
Momtazi was handed a 24-month community order, with a 50-day rehabilitation requirement.
The pensioner was also made subject to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order- he'll attend the 'Maps for Change' programme- which is designer specifically for online sex offenders.
Momtazi will sign the sex offenders register for five years.
The judge ordered that his computer is destroyed.
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