A STAFFORD man who downloaded from the internet vile movies and photos of teenagers being raped was spared a jail sentence.
Police carried out a search raid on the home of loner Ivan Mayer and seized a USB memory card from his wallet, Stafford crown court heard.
On the device were a total of 48 pornographic images of children, including ten photos and five movies at the serious level four.
Judge Michael Cullum told Mayer; "[Those images] involve penetrative sexual activity between children and adults. What is happening as we speak, children are being raped across the globe and photographed so people like you can have sexual gratification.
"That's your direct responsibility that those children are being raped and their lives ruined. I hope you will begin to understand the misery you have taken part in."
Mayer, aged 43, of Attlee Crescent, Stafford was given a three year community order with a sex offender treatment programme which the judge said "will prove tougher than any prison sentence I can impose now."
The defendant, who admitted seven charges of making indecent images of children, was also ordered to register with the police as a sex offender for the next five years and had his internet use restricted under a Sexual Offences Prevention Order. He was also ordered to pay £150 costs.
Mr Pat Sullivan, prosecuting, said the memory card was seized on 16 September last year. The images showed children of 13, 14 and 15 being abused.
Mr David Bratt, defending, said: "He cuts a lonely and isolated figure. he is only too well aware of the public conception of these offences - that is probably his greatest punishment.
"The vast majority [of the images] were at the upper end of teenage years - we are not dealing with very, very young children."
